You spot a problem and so you design a solution that you think works. You spot a gap in the market and so you design a product or service that you believe addresses some previously unaddressed need. And it works. Customers sign up. You deliver the good or service (i.e., the product) and they pay you. They ask for more, you provide after-sales service. They call or email to clarify an issue, you provide customer service.
Depending on your product, you may hire people to help you with some part or section of the A to Z that relates to creating and delivering the product to your customers.
Your “company” exists as a legal entity (for legal purposes), and, when broken down to its most basic form, is a group of people working in a coherent way to deliver a product to a customer. When you are starting out, we call you a startup.
If you keep growing in terms of your customer base, the revenue you generate and the number of people you hire, at some point, your company will cease being referred to as a startup and will be labelled as a corporate.
When you are a startup, your company is typically defined by a speed - speed in delivering products to customers; speed in addressing emerging customer needs; speed in adapting to market dynamics. You are supposed to move fast and break things, and mend as you go. Revolution!
When you are a corporate, your company is typically defined by slowness - slowness in delivering products to customers; sluggishness in address emerging customer needs; sloth in adapting to market dynamics. You are supposed to evaluate all possible scenarios, consult widely, and offer comprehensive solutions. Evolution.
It is reasonable. When you are serving a large customer base with varied needs, when you have built a reputation over a long time, when you operate in an ecosystem with many other service providers (suppliers, creditors, etc.), you must be cautious. It makes sense to consult widely before making a decision that may have far-reaching impact.
How can you inject some of that agility that helped you become successful when you were a startup, into your corporate company?
Here are some ideas: