Most founders fight for control. This one gave it away—and built something better.
The hardest part of building a company isn’t the tech. It’s managing your own mind. Your psychology.
Most founders get this — but few are actually doing it.
One exception is Håvard Lillebo, a Norwegian deep tech founder who’s raised €140 million and had two exits.
He’s the kind of founder who challenges the status quo, but stays intellectually humble. He takes advice seriously — even when it goes against ego.
When I spoke with him for The High-EQ Founder podcast, he shared a strategic decision that very few founders would have made: he brought in an outside CEO just two months after founding Innotech Solar.
Listen to Håvard explain why:
Whoa, stepping down as CEO right after you raised funding for your start-up. Who does that?!
It took self-confidence and ego mastery to see that opportunity.
And it reflects a rare kind of founder maturity: the ability to lead by letting go — when it’s what the company truly needs.
Why EQ matters more than control
Too many founders hold tightly to titles — not out of some strategic conviction, but out of fear.
Fear of being seen as replaceable.
Fear of losing relevance.
Fear that stepping aside might look like weakness.
But in reality, the inability to let go is what makes your company weaker.
Founders who train their emotional intelligence lead with clarity and humility.
And it shows in their outcomes.
EQ affects whether:
Your team stays aligned — or starts emotionally disengaging
Investors pick up on your clarity — or sense your insecurity
You build momentum — run out of steam before you get real market traction
The first step is knowing where your EQ gaps actually are.
That’s why I created the Founder EQ Quiz — a quick, precise assessment to help you pinpoint the emotional blind spots that might be undermining your leadership.
It only takes 3 minutes. (But the self-awareness will last a whole lot longer. 😉)
Love,
Renita
When you’re ready to level up as a leader, here’s how I can help:
👉🏻 1:1 Founder Coaching. Schedule a call to get acquainted here and let's see if we're a good fit.