I realised pretty early on in my founder journey that growth has a way of pulling you in. New customers start showing up, revenue goes up, and suddenly your brand is being noticed in places that once overlooked you. It feels exciting, and it usually is. But growing without any kind of succession plan in place is one of those quiet risks that can catch up with you later. It is easy to ignore in the moment, but it can shape the future of everything you are building.

When you are in the middle of growing a business, it is easy to tell yourself that succession planning can wait. You get caught up in launches, new partnerships, hiring, and hitting targets you once thought were out of reach. Thinking about someone else leading the company feels far away, and if you are honest, it feels uncomfortable. You are the one who took the risks and pushed through the late nights, so why think about stepping back when everything is finally moving in the right direction?

The reality is that no business can run on momentum forever. People move on. Life changes. Markets shift. Sometimes illness or family responsibilities appear out of nowhere. One minute you are in control, the next you have to pause, whether you planned to or not. And if no one is prepared to step in, the whole company can lose direction fast. I have seen that happen, and the energy that once drove the business can disappear in weeks.

Some founders believe a succession plan is only for large corporations with multiple departments and complex legalities. They imagine rooms filled with suits discussing leadership pipelines and contingency options. Big companies like Apple might deal with all that red tape, but you definitely won’t. Succession planning is not about formality; it is about responsibility. It is the final commitment you make to your employees that the company they rely on will not collapse because one person becomes unavailable.

A strong succession plan does not necessarily remove you from your own company, it  frees you to think bigger. When you know who can lead the team in your absence, you stop guarding every decision like a treasure. That’s why being a visible mentor to your employees is crucial. Not only do you build trust, but you build leaders who will be able to take your place when you decide to step back. I know from doing it myself how reassuring it is to know the individual replacing you is capable and is equipped with the knowledge you shared with them.

The best time to start this work is before you need it. Look at your team and identify the person who naturally steps forward when uncertainty hits. Notice who communicates clearly and who can calm a room. Do not wait for perfection potential  is more important than polish. Invest in these people. Share your vision with them and them to run meetings. Let them make decisions that carry real weight and support them when they stumble. Every stumble is a rehearsal that will pay dividends later.

A succession plan also protects the culture you have worked so hard to build. When leadership changes unexpectedly, companies often drift. Values fade and priorities scatter. People lose their sense of meaning, however, when you prepare someone in advance, they understand the soul of the business. They know the story behind the choices that shaped it, and they can continue that legacy you took so long to create by following those intrinsic values.

Entrepreneurs often say they want their company to outlive them, yet many resist the very process that would make that possible. At some point, you must decide what matters more – your comfort or your legacy? The choice is yours, but the consequences will be felt by everyone connected to your work.

Your business deserves a future that is bigger than any one person, no matter how central you feel to the day-to-day. Your team needs the stability that comes from knowing the organisation can keep moving forward, and your customers need the reassurance that the experience they rely on will not change overnight. Most importantly, you deserve the space to grow as a leader without carrying the constant worry that everything will fall apart the moment you step back, even briefly.

Start the work now and put real time into developing the people who could one day lead alongside you. Succession planning should not be something you only think about when pressure starts to build.

For more startup news, check out the other articles on the website, and subscribe to the magazine for free. Listen to The Cereal Entrepreneur podcast for more interviews with entrepreneurs and big-hitters in the startup ecosystem.