Is there anything in the business world more celebrated than an IPO?

After many years of skill, luck, and grinding, your company name goes up in lights—with its own ticker symbol—and people worldwide can own a piece of the magic you and your team made.1

Of course, a lot of cash comes along with it, too. Some access it before others, of course…

An IPO is a game-changer for a company’s founders, investors, employees, and countless stakeholders who helped them get there.

But the game of company-building changes dramatically the day after that bell rings. For most, it is the first day of the end of the success story.

I think it’s time to re-examine the actual value of going public, especially for founders who aim to build something that lasts.

This piece is the result of months of marinating, which made me see my ignorance and a need to confess my sins.

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