NWV Brief #10: The Spectrum of Foundership

Dear Founder,

I’ve been thinking a lot about identity lately—particularly, what it means to call ourselves founders. It’s a term that can feel heavy with expectation yet also strangely liberating. At its core, being a founder is about creation. But creation for what? For money? For change? For the simple love of building something that didn’t exist before?

In our latest founder group call, someone described founding as “working on the business rather than in the business.” Another called it a process of continual growth—a decision to step beyond employment and embrace the unknown. To me, being a founder is all those things and more: it’s a mirror, reflecting who we are and what we create back at ourselves.

But here’s the question I keep returning to: What drives us to create?

The Identity of a Founder

Being a founder isn’t just something we do; it’s a part of who we are. Some of us come to it by accident—a technician who wanted more freedom or a desperate innovator seeking survival. Others begin with grand visions, believing they can change the world.

We wrestle with archetypes: the visionary who dreams big, the pragmatist who makes sure the bills are paid, the accidental founder who simply stumbled into a role they didn’t expect. We find our place between those extremes—a Venn diagram of purpose, profit, and personality.

On the call, someone posed an essential question: What does it mean to create value? Is it the money we earn? The people we help? The systems we leave behind? Value is funny—it’s defined as much by the creator as the receiver. But whatever value means to you, it’s the cornerstone of our identity as founders.

So, ask yourself: Why do I build? What am I creating, and for whom?

Passion vs. Profit: Two Sides of the Same Coin

It’s easy to think of passion and profit as opposites. But can they coexist?

One founder admitted openly, “I just like making money—I’m not driven by passion for a specific industry.” Another countered, “I’m all about purpose, but I know I can help more people if I’m wealthy.”

The truth is, neither drive is wrong. They are deeply personal and often intertwined. A founder motivated by profit might create systems that empower others, while a purpose-driven founder may find their mission unsustainable without financial success. The spectrum of passion and profit isn’t a line—it’s a web, and each of us is somewhere on it.

Where do you fall? Do your motivations balance each other, or does one lead?

Archetypes of Foundership

On our call, we explored the many roles founders play. Here are a few archetypes that surfaced:

• The Passion-Driven Visionary: Guided by purpose, driven to create something meaningful.

• The Profit-Oriented Pragmatist: Focused on financial outcomes, ensuring stability and sustainability.

• The Desperate Innovator: Motivated by necessity, finding a way forward no matter what.

• The Technician Turned Entrepreneur: An expert in their craft, now building a business around it.

• The Accidental Founder: Someone who stumbled into this role and found they couldn’t imagine leaving it.

Which archetype speaks to you? Which one challenges you? What’s missing?

Practical Alignment: Bridging Identity and Action

No matter where you sit on the spectrum, alignment is key. The most fulfilled founders I know aren’t ruled by their archetype—they evolve with it. Here are some ways to align your founder identity with your daily actions:

1. Reflect Daily: Take five minutes to journal about why you started this journey.

2. Define Value: Ask yourself: What does value mean to me? Financial security? Social impact? Both?

3. Iterate Systems: Create processes that balance passion and profit. Build resilience into your business so you can focus on what matters most.

Closing Thoughts

Being a founder isn’t about fitting into one mold. It’s about exploring the edges, growing into yourself, and embracing the unique way you create value.

So here’s my question to you: What does your founder identity look like today? And how might it evolve tomorrow?

With vision, purpose, & appreciation,