Startups have a low tolerance for egos. When starting a company, a sense of self-importance won’t help to beat an established incumbent. Hard work and innovation is what matters. As a startup grows, it can’t afford to get carried away by previous successes as there will always be bigger challenges.
People who display humility tend to respect teammates, avoid being carried away by past wins and understand everyone makes mistakes.
My favourite line from a job description: “We hire people who are great because of their humility: the brilliant people who ask stupid questions, give their best ideas away and celebrate others before themselves”