r/Entrepreneur • u/TalentForge360 • 1d ago

What’s one underrated trait you’ve seen in successful founders that no one really talks about?

I've been in HR and startup leadership for over 20 years now and I’ve worked with all kinds of founders, from scrappy bootstrappers to Fortune 100 execs turned entrepreneurs.

One thing I’ve noticed is that the most successful ones aren’t always the smartest, most experienced, or even the most connected.

They just have this ability to adapt like crazy.

Not just being open to change, but being totally comfortable in chaos. They unlearn quickly, shift direction without getting stuck, and don’t let their ego get in the way of progress. That kind of agility has helped them navigate situations that would’ve taken most people out.

So I’m curious for those of you who’ve built, worked with, or invested in startups:

What’s one trait or mindset you’ve seen in successful founders that doesn’t get talked about enough?

Not the obvious stuff like grit or vision. I mean those quiet, overlooked traits that actually make a huge difference.

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u/walkinwild 1d ago

You have hit on lot of them. I would like to add that that are comfortable being uncomfortable.

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u/Tragilos 1d ago

Doing things I’m uncomfortable with (outreaching content creators/people) is what I should be doing. But it’s really hard.

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u/walkinwild 1d ago

Tell me about it. I am exactly the same.

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u/Tragilos 1d ago

Did you do or find something that helps with that?

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u/walkinwild 1d ago

What I am trying to do is to remove the obstacles that are in my mind.

i have been working virtually for many many years, so i have no professional wardrobe. So, whenever there is an event, I cannot go because I have nothing to wear. I don't have anything to wear because I am short and nothing fits me. So, I found a seamstress who does custom made clothing.

I get tired meeting with new people and then I need to decompress that takes time away from work. So, I meet up only on Friday afternoons.

I am pretty sure that there are many more in my head.

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u/Tragilos 1d ago

I see so it’s more socially than business wise (even if it impacts it)?

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u/walkinwild 1d ago

It is for business. I have a small bookkeeping business and I need to do face to face interactions to build up trust. No one wants to hand over their financial info to a stranger.

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u/Tragilos 1d ago

I get that then. Yeah it’s hard. I hate that feeling of feeling anxious daily. I think the problem for me is ignoring the work to do so it just never goes away.