Hayley Coleborne, Founder of Growth Gurus and now Head of Growth at Coverite Projects, discusses the importance of recognizing when a business has become overdependent on its founder. In 2018, Coleborne co-founded Growth Gurus, a marketing agency that started in a small coastal town and grew to work with over 250 brands across Australia and the US.
Coleborne notes that in the early years of building a business, being indispensable is often necessary, as it requires the founders to do the heavy lifting to establish trust with clients. However, as the business grows, it is essential to recognize when this indispensability becomes a bottleneck.
Recognizing the Bottleneck
Coleborne realized she was the bottleneck during a Zoom call with a prospective client, where an uncomfortable silence followed a question, and everyone on her team waited for her to answer. She notes that this silence was not due to a lack of knowledge among her team members but rather because they had learned to rely on her to provide the answers.
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This experience led Coleborne to consider whether she had built capability or dependence around her. She notes that dependence can be subtle, manifesting as capable people who never step up or lead because someone above them always takes the initiative.
Stepping Away
In 2024, Coleborne made the decision to step away from Growth Gurus completely, rather than taking on a lighter role. She recognized that her presence was still shaping how much space others felt able to take, and by staying, she would never fully create the conditions for someone else to thrive.
Coleborne’s decision to step away allowed the business to thrive, demonstrating that it was ready for new leadership. She notes that this experience has changed her perspective on leadership, and she now focuses on creating conditions for people to step up and thrive.
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Leadership Lessons
Coleborne carries the lessons she learned from Growth Gurus into her new role, where she is the only woman on the executive leadership team. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing the difference between being valuable and being indispensable, and notes that being needed can feel good, but it is not necessarily what is best for the business.
Coleborne suggests that sole operators or small team leaders watch for moments where they answer questions out of habit rather than necessity and let silences sit before filling them. She also recommends writing down decisions that only one person seems to make and asking oneself honestly why that is still the case.
In comparing her experience to similar situations, it becomes clear that recognizing the bottleneck and creating conditions for others to thrive is essential for building a strong business. By stepping away and allowing others to take the lead, Coleborne was able to create a more sustainable and resilient organization.
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