Creative Natives’ Post

I love how things in a dynamic startup can shift dramatically within a week or even days! As I’ve mentioned before, we are in the midst of pivoting at SulPont. It was a tough decision to move away from our original concept and embrace a completely new strategy. Interestingly, as soon as I did let go, things started to change significantly. We began seeing increased demand from clients, which made me wonder if we were moving on a bit too quickly. While we’re already deep into developing this new pivot, which is a stark departure from our past work, I’ve realised that perhaps our tech-driven startup model doesn’t need to be entirely abandoned. What if we transition it into a more traditional agency model, allowing us to continue doing what we love as a revenue-generating small business for now? This approach would also enable us to use our existing infrastructure to bootstrap our new idea. How about this funding strategy: building one startup to bootstrap another one? 😁 I could never have imagined that things would turn out this way, but this is what I love most about this journey—you never know where you'll end up. As long as you listen to your gut and continue working passionately on what you deeply believe in, you're sure to arrive at the right place. I feel this is exactly what's happening with our team now. #StartupLife #FounderJourney #StartupBerlin

I left my job at Stan because of the 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘹. Startups, by their very nature, attract the most ambitious, industrious, and astute individuals. These employees are the lifeblood of startup culture, infusing it with their creativity, dedication, and invaluable expertise. Yet, herein lies the paradox: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒑𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕. In my experience, most of the professionals who take a job at a startup want to launch one themselves. So, the 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘹 arises from a deep-seated entrepreneurial itch that, once awakened, becomes insatiable. While working at Stan, I got a front-row seat on the rollercoaster of launching and scaling a business. This proximity to entrepreneurial ambition and creativity is what compelled me to leave. Because the experience of contributing to a startup's journey—witnessing our first $1M and being steeped in a culture still being formed—became a desire to create, lead, and actualize my own vision. I wasn't the only one either. Members of the team left before and after me for the same reasons. Thus, the 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘹 encapsulates the intrinsic dilemma faced by startups: attracting and nurturing the talent that will eventually leave to chase their own entrepreneurial dreams. #StartupAdvice #BusinessDevelopment #TheStartupParadox

Building a successful startup? 🚀 It's all about gathering a team that's as passionate about your dream as you are. 💎 Find Your Crew: Create a place where everyone's excited to work, feels appreciated, and can grow. Think of it as crafting a second family where everyone's onboard with the mission. 🌳 Grow Wisely: As your startup grows, keep an eye on what made you special in the first place. It's like nurturing a plant, making sure it gets what it needs without losing its essence. 🧘🏻♂️ Keep Your Focus: Sometimes things get hectic. It's like juggling—know what to hold onto and what to pass on. Stick to what you're best at and share the load. 🧗🏻♂️ Play It Smart with Risks: Every startup has its risks, kind of like a new adventure. Plan well, get good advice, and be ready to dodge those curveballs. 💃 Stay Nimble: Be ready to change directions fast, like a good dancer on a fast beat. Encourage your team to try new things and be bold with their ideas. Remember, it's not just about fast wins; it's about building something that lasts and enjoying the journey with your team. 🙌🏻🎯 #startuplife #startupjourney

When is a company no longer considered a startup? 🌟 Reflecting on our journey at Altorney, I've noticed a shift in how we perceive ourselves. With 2 years under our belt and about 30 clients onboard, our identity seems to have evolved. While the entrepreneurial spirit is still super strong, maybe the time has come to reevaluate our status. What metrics do you consider pivotal in deciding if a company has outgrown its startup label and transitioned into an established entity? Are there specific milestones that you look at in determining what stage you would classify a company? Lastly - does it matter? Is having the startup label a good or bad thing or maybe it makes no difference at all and we should stop trying to put labels on things... 🤔

#Innovation is messy. And revolutionary #startups often appear chaotic & illogical. In 2008, Airbnb didn't look like an obvious winner. Their demo barely worked & guests were eating Pop-Tarts for breakfast with the hosts. So investor Mike Maples, Jr Jr passed, because it looked "crazy." Despite that messy start, the founders persevered & figured out a model that worked. Their outsized success prompted Mike to take a step back, & reflect on the success signals he was tracking. It's wicked-hard to predict #startup success. But with drive & imagination, #founders keep turning crazy ideas into thriving companies. In Mike's new book, he shares the pattern-breaking principles that give any startup a shot at achieving breakthrough success. For a sneak peek, watch our deep-dive #GameThinking interview with Mike (link in comments) #startupsuccess #founders #startup

I have been living in chaos. And I love it. Our company runs a ‘Revenue Acceleration Program’ to help out startups in their growth journey. So it’s natural that I regularly interact with founders of these startups. So where’s the chaos? - Everyday, at the end of the day, I make a to-do list & plan out the next day. - But most of the time, my planned day becomes unplanned soon after it starts. - If one of the startups faces an issue, they become a priority, which usually means that my to-do list gets a temporary break. For example, I spent the entire last week working late nights with a startup in a completely different city. BTW, this was not a planned visit! The great part is that I thrive in such situations. The chaos fuels my creativity, & keeps me thinking on my feet. How am I able to do this? The answer is discipline. Discipline plays an important role in keeping a sane mind & thinking clearly even in times of crisis. So, when someone says will you be able to thrive in this chaos and still deliver results, to them I say- Bring em on! “Most people want to avoid pain, and discipline is usually painful.” (John C. Maxwell) Have you ever felt that you’re stuck in chaos? #startups #founders #revenue #chaos

🔥Startups aren't just about the hustle. But they're about community and innovation. How to foster a thriving startup culture? Let's dive into 3 key aspects: ✅ Embrace Failure as a Stepping Stone Celebrate the lessons learned from failures. This encourages a culture of risk-taking and innovation. ✅ Foster Open Communication Create an environment where every voice is heard, and ideas can freely flow. This builds trust and collaboration. ✅ Prioritize Work-Life Harmony: Understand that the well-being of your team is crucial. Happy employees are more productive and creative. Transforming startup culture is not an overnight task. It requires dedication, openness, and a lot of heart. ❤️ P.S. What's your startup's core value? Share below! 👇 #startups #entrepreneurship

Stop bragging to your manager about how late you go home every day. Prove efficiency. Stop telling everyone how many lines of pull requests you submit each week. Beat deadline. Stop showing off how many reports and headcounts you have. Grow business. There's no reward for the vanity metrics. Result? That's a different story. #startups #careergrowth #professionaldevelopment

Start-ups aren’t for everyone The wearing of many hats No real structure Often lots of change No one has heard of you Going up against big competitors Product issues The list goes on BUT There are many positives, too Being part of a story from the beginning Huge promotion opportunities Shares in the business Getting out of that infamous comfort zone Learning new skills as you go Adopting an entrepreneurial mindset Rubbing shoulders with ambitious like-minded people Not right for everyone but just right for a lot of people 🚀 #startups #salesrecruitment #creativenatives

Building a team at a #startup is like adding ingredients to a recipe. It's super important to get the mix right. As I've learned, each additional team member brings complexity that grows geometrically. It's not just about sharing priorities, vision, and actions, but also ensuring everyone is emotionally invested in the decisions made. Startups usually fail because they grow too early, not too late. Takeaway: keep your #team small until you've got a product-market fit.