How to Not Suck at CEO-ing When You Didn’t Mean to Be One

If you're a startup founder or technical expert who suddenly finds yourself with the title "CEO"—this session is for you.

You didn't set out to lead a company. You wanted to solve a problem, build something new, or escape corporate red tape. Now, you're leading people, managing growth, and trying to figure out how to scale without burning out, selling out, or stalling out.

This session is a real-world guide for first-time or accidental CEOs—those of us who are building the plane while flying it. I’ll share 10 hard-earned growth moves that will help you shift from founder mode to real-deal leadership, without losing sight of what made your company worth building in the first place.

We’ll cover how to:

• Make faster, clearer decisions that align with your vision

• Communicate like a leader (even when you're figuring it out as you go)

• Get out of the weeds and be more strategic

• Grow your team and culture without creating chaos and conflict

• Handle the identity shift from expert to leader

This isn't about theory or buzzwords. It’s a practical, honest look at what it takes to lead a growing company when leadership wasn’t your original plan.

• Startups