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Mahek Patel
Mahek Patel

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The Founder Question I’m Asking More Often: Does This Need My Attention or Just My Approval?

Running a software business has taught me that one of the easiest ways to lose focus is to say yes to everything.

A client needs a small change.
Someone needs an approval.
A project has an urgent issue.
A new opportunity appears.
A developer needs help.

Individually, none of these feels like a big interruption.

But together, they can consume an entire day.

So lately I’ve started asking myself one simple question:

Does this actually need my attention, or does it just need my approval?

There’s a big difference.

Some problems genuinely need me to sit down, understand the technical or business context, and decide.

Others only need:

  • A clear process
  • Better delegation
  • A quick approval
  • Someone else to take ownership

As a developer, it’s tempting to jump into every technical problem myself.

As a founder, I’m learning that this doesn’t always help the business.

My job isn’t only to solve problems.

It’s also to build a system where not every problem automatically becomes my problem.

Still learning this one.

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