When It’s Time for Founders to Step Down as CEO

Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors

When It’s Time for Founders to Step Down as CEO

May 5, 2026 · 23m 43s

Chapters

01 · Tony's Background & Why He Founded Oyster

1m 26s

02 · The Global Talent Gap & Oyster's Mission

1m 59s

03 · How the Oyster Platform Works

3m 7s

04 · Tony's Personal Experience That Inspired Oyster

4m 19s

05 · Why Tony Approached His Board About a Leadership Transition

6m 4s

06 · The Shared Personal Connection That Sealed the Deal

7m 19s

07 · Hadi's First Reaction to Joining Oyster

8m 53s

08 · The Signals Tony Saw That It Was Time to Step Down

9m 53s

09 · How Hadi Built Alignment Before Day One

11m 38s

10 · Communicating the Transition to the Team

12m 7s

11 · Reassuring Customers Through the Change

14m 29s

12 · Tony's New Role as Executive Chairman

15m 30s

13 · Does Tony Have Any Regrets?

16m 22s

14 · Hadi's Vision for Oyster's Next Chapter

17m 21s

15 · Why Global Hiring Is a Competitive Advantage

18m 44s

16 · Parting Advice for Startup Founders

21m 1s

17 · Where to Learn More About Oyster

23m 1s

Description

In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down with Tony Jamous, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Oyster, and Hadi Moussa, the company’s newly appointed CEO, for a refreshingly...

In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down with Tony Jamous, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Oyster, and Hadi Moussa, the company’s newly appointed CEO, for a refreshingly honest conversation on scaling a global company— and knowing when it’s time to bring in new leadership.

Tony shares the personal journey behind one of the hardest decisions any founder can make: stepping aside as CEO, and why putting the mission ahead of ego sets great founders apart. And Hadi explains how he’s approached the transition to ensure a successful handoff.

We discuss:

The moment Tony knew it was time to hand over the CEO role
How to manage leadership transitions with intention and transparency
Communicating the change in a way that builds trust and signals strength
Why global hiring is a competitive advantage in the age of AI

Whether you're navigating growth, thinking about leadership evolution, or rethinking how to build a distributed team, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what it really takes to scale—with the right people, in the right roles, at the right time.

----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!

Learn more about Oyster at https://www.oysterhr.com

This episode is produced by Brenda Hernández Jaimes of Ellas Media
Post-Production by Angela R. Chong of Amplify Podcasts

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