Many startups are founded by domain experts – people who deeply understand the problem they want to solve. They possess extensive knowledge, unique skills, and create a product that truly delivers value. But is that enough to build a scalable business?
This is where a crucial distinction comes in: an expert is not the same as a capable manager.
🧠 An Expert – knows everything about the product, industry, and technology. They can create an outstanding solution, but they often don’t think in terms of processes, organisational structure, or management.
⚙️ A Manager – builds a well-functioning organisation around the product. They establish a company with a strategy, processes, systems, and an operational structure, ensuring it can function and scale without the founder working 24/7.
The Common Startup Founder Mistake
The critical issue in startups? Many founders remain stuck at the expert level, believing that a great product will “sell itself” or that the company will “sort itself out” along the way. However, it is managerial competence that determines a company’s success, not just the quality of the solution.
An expert asks: “How do I create the best product?”
A manager asks: “How do I build a company that successfully delivers this product to the market?”
If you’re running a startup, ask yourself: which role are you in? And if you are an expert – do you have someone on your team who can help you transition into a capable manager, or take on that role instead?
Because without proper management, even the best product will never reach its intended market. And great solutions fail more often due to poor management than due to poor quality.
The Trap of Promoting Experts to Leadership Roles
The same issue arises when a startup begins to scale – the best experts are often promoted to managerial positions. In theory, this seems logical. In practice? It often leads to failure.
An expert is brilliant at their job – but that doesn’t mean they can manage people.
What Can Go Wrong When an Expert Becomes a Manager?
The most common pitfalls:
❌ Instead of developing their own expertise, the expert suddenly has to focus on delegating, motivating, and building a team, skills they’ve never used before.
❌ The team ends up with a boss who may be a brilliant specialist but lacks management skills.
❌ The new manager, instead of overseeing the team, tries to control everything themselves, believing that no one can do it as well as they can – leading to chaos, micromanagement, and frustration.
An expert thinks: “How can I do this in the best possible way?”
A manager thinks: “How can I ensure this is done effectively by others?”
How to Avoid This Trap?
✔ Don’t automatically promote experts to managerial positions – before giving someone a team, assess whether they have the right skills or are willing to develop them.
✔ Offer a choice – not every expert wants to be a manager! Instead, provide an alternative career path.
✔ Support managerial development – if an expert wants to step into a leadership role, offer them mentoring and leadership training before throwing them in at the deep end.
Not every great specialist will become a great leader – and that’s OK. Instead of forcing experts into management, build an organisation where everyone thrives in the role that suits them best.
A great manager combines structured thinking, leadership, and operational control to drive the company forward. A great expert delivers technical excellence and deep problem-solving within their domain.
Use the checklist below if you want to remember the key differences. Remember – the key is knowing which role suits you best – and build an organisation where both paths can thrive.
Checklist: Expert vs. Manager Competencies
Key Competencies of a Manager
Technical (Hard Skills):
✅ Project planning & management – structuring team workflows, setting objectives, and tracking progress.
✅ Data analysis & KPI tracking – monitoring performance, drawing conclusions, and optimising processes.
✅ Budgeting & financial management – understanding company finances, controlling costs, and allocating resources.
✅ Process management – knowledge of methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, Lean, and Six Sigma.
✅ Legal & regulatory awareness – basic understanding of employment law, contracts, and industry regulations.
✅ Digital tools proficiency – working with ERP, CRM, and project management systems
Interpersonal (Soft Skills):
✅ Leadership – motivating the team and fostering engagement.
✅ Communication – delivering clear messages, active listening, and giving constructive feedback.
✅ Problem-solving – responding quickly to challenges and making decisions.
✅ Conflict management – mediating disputes, easing tensions, and maintaining a positive team atmosphere.
✅ Empathy & emotional intelligence – understanding team needs and building strong relationships.
✅ Flexibility & stress resilience – adapting to changes and handling pressure effectively.
✅ Delegation – identifying team strengths and assigning tasks efficiently.
Key Competencies of an Expert
Technical (Hard Skills):
✅ Deep domain knowledge – mastery of a specific field, technology, or methodology.
✅ Solution design & problem-solving – crafting the best possible technical or strategic solutions.
✅ High attention to detail – ensuring precision and quality in execution.
✅ Continuous learning & specialisation – staying ahead of industry trends and refining expertise.
✅ R&D and innovation – improving existing products or creating new solutions.
Interpersonal (Soft Skills):
✅ Independent problem-solving – tackling challenges without requiring team intervention.
✅ Precision & accuracy – focusing on delivering high-quality, detail-oriented work.
✅ Collaboration & knowledge sharing – working effectively with other experts and stakeholders.
✅ Self-motivation & deep focus – excelling in tasks that require prolonged concentration and dedication.
About the author:
Agnieszka Węglarz is an experienced ex-corporate ICT manager, a long time practitioner, business consultant and mentor. She helps tech startups and SMEs to streamline their businesses with limited resources. In her workshops and projects she concentrates on practical aspects of business growth. She runs her own consultancy business and cooperates with Google for Startups as an international mentor in business modeling and growth strategies.