How Startups Grow Fast Without Imploding
You need to strike a balance between growth and profitability from the earliest stages of your company
You’ve been taught to believe that your business can either grow or it can remain profitable. Doing both at the same time may seem like a circus-level juggling act — but it can be done.
For a startup to grow, money has to be spent and resources have to be diverted. Everyone — from the highest to the lowest levels of the company — has to take on several responsibilities at the same time. All of them are top priority. And not all of them will be done well.
For a startup to remain profitable, customers have to be the company’s main priority. They have to have their needs met, and they have to be thrilled with the experience of how those needs are met. They expect one thing. They expect that one thing to be done well. And they don’t want excuses when that thing isn’t done well.
Growth is a sprint, and profitability is a marathon. The paradox is unfortunate, but at least the solution is simple: If you want your startup to grow, you need to stop pleasing your customers.
Blasphemy!
I hear you. I’m a customer-first entrepreneur and have always been. But here’s the unpleasant truth…
