How to become a founder

I became a founder when I started Yoast. However, I did not feel like a founder until I left Yoast. If you work in the company you founded, then your job is the role you have. I was CEO and, later on, CPO, in charge of product. The last role I fulfilled at Yoast was the role of interim CTO. And then, my work at Yoast stopped, and I truly became “the founder”.

But being a founder means nothing. It’s just something that you did in the past. You’ll always be the founder, just like you’ll always be from the town you were born in. Being a founder is proof of what you’ve done in the past. Interesting, something to be proud of, but no guarantee for the future.

As a founder, you’ll always be associated with the company you started. I still receive emails with questions about Yoast. And that can be tricky if you’re no longer involved in the business. At the same time, being associated with a successful company can be very beneficial. People who do not know me will immediately understand a big part of my professional career when I introduce myself as the founder of Yoast. 

I think it’s a bit like being successful in a TV show (although there’s a lot less glamour and fame). Even when a show gets canceled, people tend to associate the actors with the characters they play. 

Founder is something you did in the past. I’m proud of what I did, but I don’t necessarily want to be known as the founder of Yoast forever. It was a big role for me and my first role of that size. But you know what happens with actors that find their next big role? The association with their first role fades away. So, I “just” need to go and do the next big thing. I’ll keep you posted!