It can feel impossible to manage a staff when everyone has a personal relationship with the CEO, but it can be done. One of the most difficult roles at a startup is managing a team of employees who have a long-term, personal relationship with the company’s founder. “I may have authority over these people but really I don’t because they have these personal, long-held relationships with the CEO,” says Michelle Lapierre, a Denver-based consultant who is often brought in help startups grow their brand.