"If the founders leave then what are you left with?" By this logic, the maximum life of any company is about 40 years. Walmart and ExxonMobil are two example

"If the founders leave then what are you left with?" By this logic, the maximum life of any company is about 40 years. Walmart and ExxonMobil are two examples of companies that became gargantuan long after their founders had left. In fact, of the Fortune 5000, I would bet the majority no longer employ their founders.