Maintaining Startup Culture as Your Business Grows

A lot of people really like the idea of a startup. They want to run a startup, work for a startup, or work with a startup. There is something almost mythic about the startup’s appeal, and most of that appeal comes down to culture: Startups have famously open-minded, flexible, team-oriented, and highly creative cultures—all of which facilitate brilliant innovation and often rapid success.

But what happens when that success starts pouring in, and your company begins to grow? Ironically, it can lead to a loss of that initial culture that made your company so special. It may start to feel like less of a startup and more of, well, a mid-sized business!

There’s obviously nothing wrong with growth or with becoming a more established business, but you may want to know what you can do to hold on to that startup culture. A few tips:

1. Emphasize speed. Something that sets startups apart is that they really have to be nimble and quick on their feet, responding to customer requests as promptly as possible—or else the customer might back out, or go to a competitor. Try to maintain that mentality, and not to put too many processes and procedures in place that hinder your speed. Remember that great startups can deliver quickly, and that’s something worth preserving as you grow.
2. Encourage innovation. Make sure your employees never reach a point where they feel like creative, disruptive thinking is unwanted. All leaders should have open-door policies, and should actively court new ideas. Bring all team members into the collaboration process, and applaud those who think outside the box.
3. Know your team. Keep a relational feel to your company culture. Make sure you know all employee names. Hang with them at after-hours parties and events. And make sure you give all team members jobs that align with their skills and their passions!
4. Listen to your team. Keep you ear to the ground, so to speak, and cherish whatever feedback your employees have to offer you. Make sure there is a forum where employees feel safe providing their comments—an online discussion group, for instance.
5. Make your culture your brand. Above all, remember that your company culture will be evident through all of your interactions with clients and customers. Make sure you have a specific mission statement or a list of values, and that they are clearly articulated to all members of your team!

Your company may be growing—but that doesn’t mean you have to lose the things that made it special in the first place. To learn more, consider enlisting in one of our HR courses or webinars today!