Scaling a business is a lot like building a spaceship. Do it wrong, and your rocket will implode before it even breaks the atmosphere. But even if you make it to orbit, the real challenge is keeping the crew from mutinying halfway to Mars. Scaling isn’t just about revenue charts—it’s about ensuring your culture survives the journey.
The Big Idea:
The greatest danger of growth isn’t running out of cash or customers; it’s outgrowing your own principles. Startups thrive on scrappiness, camaraderie, and trust. When you scale, those qualities can get diluted faster than a watered-down whiskey at a bad bar. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Here’s how to grow without losing your soul.
Define Your Culture Before Growth Does It for You
Every startup has a culture, whether you’ve articulated it or not. But when you scale, unspoken values turn into a game of telephone—what you started with isn’t always what ends up being practiced.
- Franklin’s Tip: Write down your core values as if they were commandments. Make them so simple and clear even your competitors would nod in agreement.
- Musk’s Take: Design systems that reinforce those values—performance reviews, hiring processes, and even Slack norms. (Yes, the GIFs matter.)
Hire for Attitude, Train for Altitude
Scaling means bringing new people into the fold—fast. But nothing destroys culture faster than prioritizing technical skills over shared beliefs.
- Hire the “Culture Carriers”: Look for people who live your values. That scrappy problem-solver with a team-first mindset is worth a dozen rockstars with diva tendencies.
- Beware of “Culture Clones”: Diversity of thought is your secret weapon. Don’t mistake shared values for identical backgrounds or perspectives.
Over-Communicate—Then Do It Again
When you’re small, culture spreads like wildfire through a tiny team. When you scale, it’s more like Chinese whispers. Miscommunication turns into misalignment, which becomes dysfunction.
- Franklin’s Tip: Use stories. People remember tales of that time the team pulled an all-nighter to save a client’s launch, not bullet points from your last all-hands meeting.
- Musk’s Method: Use technology to your advantage. Daily check-ins, open Q&A sessions, and dashboards that make your priorities painfully clear are non-negotiables.
Don’t Scale the Wrong Stuff
Growth is intoxicating, but not all growth is good growth. Chase the wrong goals, and you’ll end up bloated, directionless, and in a worse place than when you started.
- Know Your North Star: Whether it’s delighting customers, innovating faster, or creating long-term value, scale only what aligns with your true mission.
- Kill Your Darlings: If a product, process, or even team structure no longer serves the mission, cut it. Growth demands sacrifices, but the wrong ones will cost you dearly.
Celebrate the Little Things (and the Big Ones)
Scaling can feel like an endless treadmill—always running toward the next milestone. That’s a recipe for burnout and disconnection.
- Franklin’s Reminder: Celebrate the journey, not just the destination. Handwritten thank-you notes, surprise team lunches, or random acts of recognition go a long way.
- Musk’s Perspective: Big wins deserve big celebrations. Whether it’s your first million in revenue or launching in a new market, take time to honor the moment—and rally your team for what’s next.
Scaling doesn’t mean saying goodbye to what made your startup special. It’s about amplifying your culture, not abandoning it. With a clear vision, intentional processes, and a commitment to your values, you can grow without breaking the heart of your company.
Ready to scale smart? At Junto Global, we help founders navigate the challenges of growth while staying true to their vision. Join our community of builders, thinkers, and dreamers, and let’s reach new heights—together.