By Jerry More Nyazungu
“You left your business in the hands of your most loyal guy… Now there’s no growth, no sales, and customers are complaining like they were sold air. Here’s the truth: businesses don’t run on autopilot. They run on intentional leadership.”
From Founder to “Ghost CEO”
At some point, every entrepreneur dreams of chilling in the Bahamas while their business “runs itself.”
And when burnout hits meetings, sales calls, fixing admin drama you start looking for a great escape.
So, you choose the most loyal person on your team. Let’s call him Morris. He’s been there since you were running the business from your bedroom. He’s never asked for a raise. He knows how to open the office, fix the Wi-Fi, and even makes the best tea.
Naturally, you assume, “Ah, this one can run things.”
So, you step back.
But within months, the cracks start showing.
The Slow Death You Didn’t See Coming
- Sales calls? None.
- Partnership opportunities? Zero.
- Customer complaints? Plenty.
- Team energy? Gone.
Your WhatsApp starts buzzing:
“We haven’t received our order.”
“Is the office still operational?”
“Can we speak to the director?”
You start hearing phrases like:
“We’re waiting for you to come back.”
“He told us he’s not the decision maker.”
“Ah, we didn’t know we could pitch that project.”
It hits you like cold ZESA load-shedding:
The business didn’t pause because you left it paused because you left it leaderless.
Trusted ≠ Trained
Here’s the truth most founders ignore:
Just because someone is loyal doesn’t mean they’re equipped to grow your business.
Morris can maintain operations, yes. He’ll keep the office clean and make sure the bills are paid.
But growth? That’s a different beast.
- Who’s out there selling the vision?
- Who’s calling new clients?
- Who’s setting fresh targets?
- Who’s building strategic partnerships?
If your answer is “No one,” then that’s why your business is stalling.
Businesses Aren’t Airplanes
Let’s kill the myth:
Your business is not a Boeing 737 where you just hit autopilot and walk into the cabin for champagne.
It’s more like a kombi.
If the driver relaxes, we’re all stuck at Copacabana with no fuel and a prayer.
Systems, targets, momentum they don’t drive themselves. And leaving operations to someone who only knows how to maintain instead of multiply is the fastest way to hit a wall.
What To Do Before You “Step Back”
1. Train for Growth, Not Just Loyalty
Teach your trusted person how to sell, lead and innovate. Don’t just hope they “figure it out.”
2. Create Systems That Speak When You’re Silent
A CRM system. Sales targets. Weekly team check-ins. Don’t leave leadership to personality leave it to process.
3. Step Back Gradually, Not Emotionally
Instead of disappearing, start by reducing your hours. Attend key meetings. Monitor dashboards. Coach from the sidelines but stay close.
4. Test Before You Rest
Leave them with a sales target. A monthly client engagement goal. A budget to manage. Then monitor outcomes. That’s how you know they’re ready.
Don’t Exit Before You’ve Engineered the Exit
Your business needs you not as a micromanager, but as a vision steward.
Yes, you deserve rest. But don’t confuse burnout with readiness to exit.
If you hand over the wheel without installing a GPS (systems), a fuel plan (strategy), and a trained driver (leadership), you’re not retiring you’re setting up a breakdown.
Don’t let loyalty blind you from reality.
Your business isn’t just about who’s been there the longest it’s about who can take it the farthest.
#LeadershipMatters #AfricanEntrepreneurs #BusinessSystems #SMEReality #GrowthNeedsYou
