The founder cannot be the operating model
A business can grow around one capable person for a long time. That does not make it sustainable.
Founders often carry the history, relationships and judgement nobody else has had the chance to build. It makes sense that work finds its way back to them. The problem starts when every exception, approval and difficult conversation keeps doing the same thing.
The team may look like it needs more confidence. In practice, people might be waiting because the boundaries around their authority are unclear. The founder may look like they need better time management. In practice, the business may still be designed around their constant availability.
The answer is not to disappear and hope everyone works it out. It is to make ownership visible, move decisions deliberately and give people the information and support to carry them. The business should benefit from the founder’s judgement without requiring their presence in every room.