Many aspiring entrepreneurs believe they need to be experts in every aspect of their business before they can lead successfully. According to Raizcorp CEO Allon Raiz, that belief couldn’t be further from the truth.

Drawing from decades of entrepreneurial experience, Raiz says one of the biggest lessons he has learned is that great business leaders are not defined by knowing everything—they are defined by their ability to build exceptional teams and continuously learn.

Raiz recently shared how this lesson came full circle when mentoring an entrepreneur who had taken over a business in an unfamiliar industry. The new owner admitted he was worried because every employee knew far more about the products and processes than he did.

Rather than seeing this as a weakness, Raiz reassured him by recalling his own early career.

At just 25 years old, Raiz was appointed marketing director of a vehicle security company despite having almost no automotive knowledge.

“I had never even changed a tyre,”.

he recalled, admitting he didn’t know the difference between a wheel and a tyre at the time

Leading the sales and marketing of a technical business felt overwhelming, and he feared he would fail.

Seeking guidance from his mentor, Raiz received advice that has stayed with him throughout his career.

“You don’t need to know everything about your industry. You need to have a team that does. Over time, you will deliberately and consistently learn, and eventually become an expert. Build the right team around you, remain humble and be intentional.”

That wisdom later proved true once again through a remarkable entrepreneur participating in one of Raizcorp’s business development programmes.

The woman had inherited her late father’s plumbing company in Alexandra after his sudden passing. Despite having no plumbing experience herself, she successfully managed a business employing 14 plumbers while ensuring her family’s financial security.

Instead of pretending to know everything, she committed herself to learning the trade by working alongside one of her teams each day.

“I don’t need to be a plumber to run a successful plumbing business,”.

she told Raiz—a statement that perfectly echoed his mentor’s earlier advice

Years later, when another young entrepreneur expressed concern that his employees possessed greater technical knowledge than he did, Raiz found himself repeating those same words of encouragement.

For Raiz, entrepreneurship is not about having every answer. It is about surrounding yourself with capable people, remaining open to learning, and developing the leadership skills needed to bring out the best in others.

He also emphasises that building a great team is not a once-off achievement but an ongoing responsibility. Employees will come and go, some will exceed expectations while others may disappoint, making recruitment, development and leadership a continuous process.

“The work of building a team is never done. Settle into the challenge, embrace the learning process, and keep developing the people around you.”

Raiz says

His message serves as an important reminder for entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey: success is not measured by how much a founder knows, but by their willingness to learn, lead with humility, and empower the right people to help build the business.