Why Many Founders Aren't Good Managers (Nutriunited Founder and CEO Josef Brunner)

About this episode

Many founders are brilliant visionaries but terrible managers. This harsh truth is shared by Josef Brunner, serial entrepreneur and current CEO of NutriUnited, in his conversation on Unicorn Bakery. His insight: transitioning from founder to CEO requires completely different skills – and most underestimate this transformation.

The Performance Trap During Scaling

When startups grow, a paradox often emerges: the more employees you add, the less performant the organization becomes. Josef explains why this happens: "As a founder, you think more people automatically means more output. But without the right structure and leadership, exactly the opposite occurs."

The problem lies in the lack of systematic approach. While small teams function intuitively, larger organizations need clear processes, defined roles, and most importantly: effective leadership.

The Foundation: Roles, Responsibilities, and Ownership

Josef's most important lesson: without clear structures, any scaling effort will fail. The foundation of a successful organization consists of three elements:

• –Defined roles: Everyone must know exactly what they're responsible for
• –Clear responsibilities: Ownership cannot be diluted
• –Measurable goals: Performance must be objectively evaluable

"Many founders shy away from creating clear structures because they fear bureaucracy," Josef explains. "But structure isn't the opposite of agility – it enables true performance."

Feedback Conversations: The Performance Game Changer

A central component of Josef's management playbook is structured feedback conversations. Many CEOs either avoid them or do them wrong. Josef has developed a clear methodology:

The three pillars of effective feedback conversations:

1. –Honesty without brutality: Direct feedback, but respectfully delivered
2. –Concrete examples: Vague statements help nobody
3. –Clear expectations: What needs to change and by when?

Josef even provides a feedback template that founders can use directly. "Feedback isn't a nice-to-have, it's the most important lever for performance improvement," he emphasizes.

Making Difficult Decisions: Culture vs. Performance

The hardest moments for any CEO are employee terminations. Josef has learned: respectful separations are better than endless hesitation. "When someone isn't performing, it's not just you as CEO who suffers – the entire team notices it."

His rule: try everything first, then separate fairly. But timing is crucial. Waiting too long damages the entire culture.

From Vision to Execution

The difference between successful and failed scale-ups often isn't in the idea, but in the execution. Josef sees his role as CEO clearly defined: "My job is no longer to have the best ideas. My job is to get the best out of my team."

This realization didn't come overnight. As a serial entrepreneur, Josef had to learn to let go and delegate. "At first, you think you do everything best yourself. But that doesn't scale."

Practical Tools for Better Management

Josef provides concrete tools:

• –Weekly one-on-ones: Short but regular
• –Quarterly performance reviews: Structured with his template
• –Succession planning: Who can replace whom?

He makes the feedback template and other resources available for free – a practical tool that any founder can implement immediately.

The Transformation from Founder to Manager

Josef's most important message: founders must consciously work on their management skills. "You don't automatically become a good manager just because your startup is successful," he warns. "These are completely different abilities."

For founders looking to scale their organizations, this episode is a wake-up call: vision alone isn't enough. Successful CEOs must learn to lead people, measure performance, and make difficult decisions.

Josef's playbook shows: with the right tools and the right mindset, any founder can master this transformation.