What Happens When You Actually Trust Your Team? (A Lesson from Causeway Studios)
If there’s one thing I’ve built my business around, it’s this:
Trust isn’t optional. It’s the foundation.
But here’s the catch—saying you trust your team and actually building the systems that prove it are two very different things.
That’s why I loved my conversation with Kjartan Kennedy, co-founder of Causeway Studios. He didn’t just talk about trust—he showed what it looks like when a team is structured to run on it.
"Trust isn’t just a vibe. It’s a system."
—Kjartan Kennedy
Burnout, Bottlenecks, and the Truth About Most Founders
Kjartan was in a pressure-cooker industry—creative production, tight deadlines, client demands, constant pivots.
Sound familiar?
He saw firsthand how many founders (maybe you?) start with passion… only to end up burnt out, bitter, and bogged down in every decision.
When Causeway launched, he decided not to repeat that cycle.
Instead of being the bottleneck, he built a system of trust. One that gave his team freedom, not just tasks.
What That Looked Like in Real Life:
A 4-day workweek with better output than ever before
No micromanagement, even in a fully remote environment
A culture where people see the purpose behind their work
A team that knows when and how to give honest feedback
That’s not magic. That’s intentional leadership.
What Made the Difference?
Kjartan didn’t just “let go.” He got specific:
Clarity of roles—so everyone knew what ownership looked like
Feedback rhythms—so conflict didn’t stew in silence
Real accountability—not through fear, but shared goals
Recognition—because people don’t just need direction; they need to feel seen
This isn’t just about scaling your business. It’s about staying sane while you do it.
The One Question He’d Ask Any Business Owner
Toward the end of our conversation, I asked Kjartan: If you could give one piece of advice to every founder, what would it be?
He didn’t hesitate:
“Ask yourself if you’ve made it safe enough for people to be honest with you.”
That’s a mic drop moment right there. Trust doesn’t just mean letting go. It means listening, adjusting, and sometimes admitting your own process is part of the problem.
If you’re feeling the weight of your business on your shoulders, this episode is your invitation to try a better way.
Watch or listen now: How to Build a Team That Doesn’t Depend on You - Kjartan Kennedy
Ready to talk about building a team that doesn’t depend on you? Book a call with me.
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