Interesting article. But I'll wager this advice is harder to follow than it seems.
For example, he mentions that the founder should at some point concentrate on the business and not on the "grunt work". While this is obviously true, the point in your business's life at which you decide to stop coding is of critical importance. Another founder could well give the advice "don't be afraid to get stuck in", or "beware of retreating to your ivory tower", and their advice would be equally valid.
"While this is obviously true, the point in your business's life at which you decide to stop coding is of critical importance."
Just to clearify, when Rand says "grunt-level work" he means SEO and not coding. Early on at SEOmoz the coding was done by a guy y'all might know as "The Oatmeal."
I recommend anyone running a startup listen to this advice. Rand has been one of the biggest influences on my business thinking and has helped me immeasurably in growing our business.
I have watched him learn many of these lessons, tried to learn them myself and look forward to much learning to come.
Off-topic - I love the mythbusters video linked from the "Humor" tab.
Know what your employees want to do with their lives.
Then, if you need to let someone go, you can help them reach their next step, rather than "giving them the boot".
Not only is it an opportunity to someone's life better as their boss. One of the perks of working at McKinsey is that its alumni go on to do great things. You can capitalize on that too.
For companies that interface with another business to reach customers, another thing to consider is that a happy intermediary rarely implies a happy customer. Knowing your end user better than you know an intermediary's official requirements, not just better than you know yourself, makes for an even more meaningful success.
Think Apple's choice to give up a Verizon partnership rather than let them interfere with the iPhone's OS. Despite that move, I hear the fruit company is doing pretty okay.
For example, he mentions that the founder should at some point concentrate on the business and not on the "grunt work". While this is obviously true, the point in your business's life at which you decide to stop coding is of critical importance. Another founder could well give the advice "don't be afraid to get stuck in", or "beware of retreating to your ivory tower", and their advice would be equally valid.
As always, the key is balance.