What does it really take to step down as a founder-CEO—on your terms?

In this episode of Scaling Stories Unfiltered, I sit down with Evgeny Shadchnev, co-founder of Makers Academy and author of Startup CEO Succession, to talk about one of the biggest decisions a founder can make: handing over the reins.

Evgeny built one of Europe’s first coding bootcamps, helped thousands launch tech careers, and raised venture funding, then chose to step away. This is a refreshingly honest look at what that moment actually feels like.

Expect hard-won insight, no fluff.

What we cover in this episode:

• The biggest hiring mistake they made at Makers (and how it worked… until it didn’t)
• Why scaling too fast without strong foundations almost broke the business
• How Evgeny knew it was time to find a new CEO (and why most founders wait too long)
• What real culture looks like beyond buzzwords and office perks
• The difference between growth and “growing up” as a leader

Whether you’re scaling now or thinking about succession down the line, this one’s packed with gold.

Find Evgeny here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shadchnev/
• Website: https://startupceosuccession.com
• His book: Startup CEO Succession (https://tinyurl.com/yn2ve7bx)

Books mentioned: 

Reboot by Jerry Colonna

No rules rules, Reid Hoffman

📩 Contact us: [email protected]

🎧 Subscribe & listen:

• Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2p93xe94
• Apple: https://tinyurl.com/yp9b4a49
• YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/2a9rv3hf