Startup Minds, Scale-Up Success

April 3, 2024

It's a startup, it's organized chaos!

Why do we always hear this in interviews about startup companies? Does it have to be chaos? No.

Are startups ever-evolving and fast-moving? Yes.

Do they have to be all over the place with zero process? No.

Does it happen when you hire people who have never held the same or similar roles before? Yes!

Operational Excellence doesn't start when your company is successful. Building training material & anticipating rapid growth is the best thing you can do from day one. As you're figuring things out, build processes that are repeatable and scalable. Do it early and do it often.

Without processes you can scale, but it will be a brutal onboarding experience for your new employees, and a massive uplift when you wake up with 500 employees and no formal processes in place.

Part of the beauty of a startup (and the people who are meant to work at them crave this) is the ability to wear many hats, to build out programs, processes and teams from the ground up. To be integral in the vision and mission of the company.

Warning: Some people interview really well. They say the right things. Dig into your candidate's ability to support their claim. A simple but deeper line of questioning looks like this:

• Tell me about the deal you're most proud of?

• Who was involved in the deal?

• What was the result?

• What was the outcome?

Typically you’re going to get an answer about a particularly challenging deal with several road blocks and the candidate was able to overcome the challenges and close the deal.

The result will be “I closed the deal for X amount of revenue”.

Digging in again, essentially asking the same question, of “what was the outcome” gets the candidate to think past the deal closing. You’ll get an understanding of what’s important to them: the outcome for the customer, the outcome for their team, the outcome for the company, or the outcome for their pockets.

As you build your team, make your operational excellence top of mind. Ensure you’re hiring leaders who are truly autonomous and have proven processes that work and are moldable to your vision. Your people are your best asset next to your product or service, so make sure...

They share your vision, know your vision, and know what they're signing up for.

Your leadership team is clear, communicative, carve out processes so that your team can take over and execute efficiently.

Your recruiting team loves learning, is obsessed with knowing all areas of the business. Set them up so that they're not siloed into one business unit. They're thought leaders, not first-timers.

You execute a strong referral program - build one that fosters collaboration and growth - ideas here.

You lay the groundwork for L&D. Remember, your people are your greatest asset, and by investing in their growth and well-being, you are laying the groundwork for a thriving and sustainable organization.

You hire HR early. HR can help with onboarding, performance management, and employee relations, ensuring that your team feels valued, supported, and motivated to contribute to the success of the company.

The journey from startup to scale-up requires a strategic approach to operational excellence. While startups may embrace chaos and wear multiple hats, establishing repeatable and scalable processes from day one is crucial for sustainable growth. Vigorous vetting of candidates ensures alignment with the company's vision and values. Building autonomous leadership, nurturing a holistic understanding of the business in the recruiting team, and fostering collaboration through innovative referral programs are vital. Investing in learning and development, alongside early HR integration, fosters a culture where employees feel valued and empowered, laying the foundation for long-term success and sustainability.

That’s all for this week. Make it a great one, and good luck to everyone rolling into Q2!

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Recruiting: contract or per-placement hiring. Reach me here.

Writing: Freelance writing for blogs and publications. Reach me  here.
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