It was a big week for Thoughtly co-founder Casey Mackrell. He got married, and his wedding reception photo went viral. The image showed him sitting in a ballroom, staring at his laptop as his friends and family danced around him. The photo sparked both awe and outrage, with many people wondering how he could possibly be working on his wedding day.

However, the story behind the photo isn’t quite as bad as it seems. In an interview with TechCrunch, Torrey Leonard, Mackrell’s co-founder, explained that the founder needed to quickly give a colleague access to code on his laptop. This was only possible by taking a photo of him working on the laptop.

The Concept of "Founder Mode"

But what exactly is "founder mode," and why did this incident go viral? The concept of "founder mode" was first coined by Paul Graham, a founding partner of Y Combinator. According to Graham, there are two ways to run a company: in founder mode or manager mode.

In founder mode, the founder should be hands-on with everything the company does. This means they should be actively involved in every aspect of the business, from coding to marketing to finance. Founders who operate in this mode are often seen as inspirational figures, driving their companies forward through sheer hard work and dedication.

However, some critics argue that this approach can lead to burnout and a lack of work-life balance. When founders spend too much time working on every aspect of the business, they may neglect other areas of their life, including relationships and personal well-being.

The Mixed Reaction

Leonard’s LinkedIn post sparked a mixed reaction from the startup community. Some people were motivated by Mackrell’s embodiment of "founder mode," while others were appalled at his lack of work-life balance.

"The public comments we received were super negative," Leonard said. "We were on 4chan, Reddit, and other platforms, and people just didn’t like it."

However, the post also generated a lot of positive feedback from founders who identified with Mackrell’s approach. "I’ve received thousands of emails, LinkedIn DMs, texts from founders that I know, unicorn founders that I don’t know, Fortune 500 CEOs, and top investors in the world across Silicon Valley who have said, ‘Let’s go, I’m on your side,’" Leonard said.

The Context Behind the Photo

So what really happened behind the scenes? According to Leonard, Mackrell was only on his laptop for less than a minute. He needed to quickly give a colleague access to code on his laptop, and this was only possible by taking a photo of him working on it.

In other words, the photo was not taken in a moment of obsessive focus or dedication but rather as a necessary task to be completed quickly. This context changes the narrative around the photo and suggests that Mackrell’s commitment to his work is more about efficiency than obsession.

Conclusion

The viral photo of Casey Mackrell coding at his own wedding highlights the complexities of "founder mode" and the expectations placed on startup founders. While some people see this approach as inspirational, others see it as a sign of burnout and a lack of work-life balance.

Ultimately, the photo serves as a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to running a company. Founders must find their own balance between dedication and self-care, recognizing that success requires not just hard work but also time for reflection and rest.

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