Some ideas arrive fully formed.
But others take years to find their place. For me, building companies has always been more than just building products or services. It’s about the people:
The ones we hire,
The ones we grow with, and sometimes
The ones we have to let go.
Over the years, I’ve come to embrace that people component more and more. Leadership without people at heart is nothing. That’s why I’m bringing back The Rosemary Czopek Podcast with a new season called ‘The Hiring Conversation’. I want this to be a place for candid, open talks with (women) founders about what it really takes to build great teams from people:How do they hire?
How do they lead?
And how do they build teams that last?
We’ll talk about what worked, and most importantly, what didn’t. Because it’s the failures that teach us the most. Learning from those who’ve been there and are willing to share their experiences has always been the most effective for me. And that’s what I want this new season to be:
A place for mutual learning.
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The Real Burnout: Why Leadership Isn’t About Hardening Your Heart
I cried the first time I had to fire someone. I felt it was my fault. As a founder, I’ve always believed we don’t just hire people, we invite them into our vision. We hope they’ll care as much as we do. And when they don’t, or when it doesn’t work, it feels like a personal failure.
For a long time, I kept people too long because I wanted to avoid admitting that failure. Instead, I twisted myself trying to make things work that clearly weren’t. I thought being a “good leader” meant being endlessly patient.
It took me years to understand that being a good leader actually means telling the truth kindly, clearly, and as soon as things become clear.
That’s why I believe most of us don’t burn out from overworking. We burn out from emotional entanglement, from holding the entire relationship on our shoulders, without anyone saying, “Hey, this isn’t working and here’s why.”
It took me years to learn that leadership isn’t about hardening your heart. It’s about keeping it open and acting anyway.
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The Real Cost of Hiring Cheap
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”
—Red Adair
Every time I see this quote, I’m reminded of how true it is in hiring. The cheapest option almost always turns out to be the most expensive.
Expertise saves you money, time, and headaches, always. The hard lesson is this: what looks like a good deal usually isn’t.
Quality has its price.
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Freedom Doesn’t Come From Growth Alone
Most entrepreneurs start a business for two reasons: they want to do something better, and they want freedom. We build, we push forward, and eventually, we fix the problem. But freedom? That’s harder to reach.
We get caught in the fixing, and we convince ourselves that only if we grow, freedom will come. It took me time, and a few detours, to figure out how to build a business that doesn’t just work, but that works without me in every detail.
Now I focus less on fixing everything and more on building teams that run without me. Because freedom doesn’t come from growth alone. Freedom comes from clarity, structure, and a team that can move the business forward without me.
If you’re stuck in the fixing, maybe it’s time to design a business that frees you, not just feeds you.
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