Beyond the Founder: Leading What Comes Next

April 22, 2026 by Forbes

​Harvard Business Review called it “among the most emotionally charged and strategically consequential moments” in an organization’s life cycle: when the organization’s founder hands the reins to a new executive. While data on nonprofit leaders is scarce, as of 2025, only 4.8% of Fortune 500 companies were led by founders or cofounders. At best, the transition from founder to new leader is one in which new energy can help lift an organization to the next level. At worst, the founder’s departure can leave behind a vacuum from which the organization struggles to recover.

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