In our recent monthly webinar, we explored a topic that doesn’t get enough attention in leadership circles: The intertwining of your personal and professional identity.
It’s a common founder challenge, but it’s just as relevant for executives and long-term leaders who find themselves boxed into a particular role, division, or business stream.
When you build something - or help build something - it’s very easy for it to become who you are.
In the Early Days, It's Almost Inevitable
When you’re starting out, your identity and the business are deeply enmeshed.
Customers buy into you, investors back you, suppliers partner with you, and that personal credibility is often your growth engine.
But even in those early stages, there are decisions you can make that protect your long-term optionality so you don’t accidentally build a gilded tower you can’t escape.
Thirty years ago, when we bought our first pharmacy, it was common practice to include the owner’s name in the business name. We made a deliberate decision not to. This was partly practical - Stuart and I had different surnames, and it would have been quite the mouthful. But strategically? It mattered. We didn’t want our identity permanently hardwired into the asset from day one.
As You Scale, This Becomes Even More Important
As your team grows, you must be intentional about how you transition key relationships.
There’s often a protective instinct - a belief that you must personally “own” every major client, investor, or supplier relationship as a risk mitigant.
But if you create a perception that anyone but you is second best, your own capacity becomes the bottleneck, and the direct consequence of that is growth restriction.
Stay connected to key relationships, but let others step into the spotlight.
Investors and acquirers assess key person risk very carefully. If the business value is directly correlated to your ongoing presence, you’ve inadvertently discounted the asset. Conversely, if they see a business that can thrive independently of you, they assign greater value. The risk profile drops, and the multiple improves.
The Emotional Side No One Warns You About
Beyond structure and valuation, there’s an emotional dimension.
If your identity is intrinsically tied to your business or executive title, any change - an exit, a restructure, a portfolio shift - can feel destabilising.
When Stuart and I exited Icon and Epic after 25 years, we had to rethink how we answered that simple question: “What do you do?”
All of a sudden, we needed a new elevator pitch and I’ll be honest, it took time to craft one that rolled off the tongue as easily as the old one. No one talks about that recalibration, but it’s real and if you’re not ready for it it can throw you.
One Strategic Safeguard
One of the most effective ways to avoid identity compression is to deliberately build breadth.
Philanthropy, Board roles, Professional organisations, Advisory work - these don’t just expand your network, they expand your identity.
They strengthen your personal brand beyond one operating role, they diversify your skill set, they build governance depth, and they protect you emotionally and strategically if circumstances change.
The link between your personal and professional identity isn’t inherently good or bad, the key is being intentional.
At each stage of the business lifecycle, ask yourself:
- Is this strengthening or constraining me?
- Am I building something that depends on me or something that can thrive without me?
- If my title changed tomorrow, who would I be?
I’d love to hear how have you navigated this tension?
What would you do differently if you were starting again?
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