Paul Graham’s essay “Founder Mode” discusses how the traditional advice for scaling startups—focused on adopting a manager’s mindset—often leads to failure. Instead, he emphasizes that founders should operate in “founder mode,” where they stay deeply involved in their company’s operations and avoid the constraints that managers typically face. The piece draws from examples like Brian Chesky’s leadership at Airbnb and Steve Jobs at Apple, suggesting that founders’ unconventional methods can drive success even as companies grow larger.