‘Give Away Your Legos’ and Other Commandments for Scaling Startups

Molly Graham

This isn’t just an essay—it’s a rite of passage for anyone leading through hypergrowth. I’ve returned to this piece more than once when I’ve felt the tension between holding onto what I built and making room for what’s next. Molly Graham nails the emotional reality of scaling: growth means letting go. And if you don’t get good at giving away your Legos, you become the bottleneck. This essay gave language to what so many leaders feel but don’t say out loud—and it’s been one of the most grounding things I’ve read when leading through change, team expansion, or org redesign.

Read Give Away Your Legos if you’re looking to:

• Navigate the emotional side of scaling your role and team

• Build systems that grow beyond individual ownership

• Let go without losing your impact.