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Startups or Scaleups: Know the Difference

Startups and scaleups are two terms that can be used interchangeably; however, they may not necessarily mean the same thing. The first one i...

Startups and scaleups are two terms that can be used interchangeably; however, they may not necessarily mean the same thing.

The first one is the first stage of any business, and if the startup outgrows its initial mandate, it can safely be called a scaleup.

By @Comic24Derick

By its definition, a startup is a young company formed by one or more entrepreneurs to develop a certain product or service and work on bringing it to the market.

Because of a tight cash flow, a startup operates on funding from the founders’ savings or family members. And sometimes it can fail to satisfy orders from customers or it may refer clients to the next operator.

The scaleup is the growth phase in the life cycle of a business emerging from a startup stage. In this phase, there is relatively more funding, advanced technology, better services, and increased employment opportunities, and more growth opportunities.

Because of their sizes and ability to impact the economy, scaleups are more recognized than startups. At this stage, it is capable to operate on a bigger budget and can meet orders from various customers without compromising on quality.
“You probably already have a firm grasp on what a startup is, but how does that compare with a scaleup?”

To fully undress this issue, Feras Cherad wrote widely on the subject for the Spendesk. He revealed, that while many people have done their research on startups, their knowledge of scaleups, is however limited or it doesn’t exist at all.

“Startups vs scaleups. Here we have two more terms that are often confused. You probably already have a firm grasp on what a startup is, but how does that compare with a scaleup?”

“According to Scaleup Nation, a scaleup is “an entrepreneurial venture that has achieved product-market fit and now faces either the ‘second valley of death’ or exponential growth. To put that another way, once a startup has proven that it has a product people want, it’s time to take that product to the masses.”

According to the definition offered by Scaleup Nation, which aims to “provide the drive for new enterprises to deliver innovative products and business concepts that combine planet, people, and profit,” a scaleup must overcome certain challenges for it to be classified as such.

The products it offers must be able to meet certain standards that are expected for a business of its size and nature.

Spendesk also committed generous space to the subject. “Recent studies have shown a few trends that should perhaps worry CEOs. First, two-thirds of the fastest-growing companies fail,” the article warned.

The shocking revelation means that scaling up without proper planning can be catastrophic, and this might explain why many businesses are content with remaining as startups.

“You might think that reaching hypergrowth status puts you on the inevitable path to success. It appears not. Other macro studies have shown that slow-growing companies tend to do better in the long run than their fast-growing counterparts,” the writeup says further down.

The race to grow a company can be dangerous if it is approached from the wrong end. However, if you take your time to implement the plan, you will reach your target. In other words, scaling up is not about speed but strategy.

PieSync emphasizes the importance of finding your mistakes before you embark on the next stage.

“In the previous step, did you uncover any weaknesses in your business operations? It's important to address these before scaling. Scaling your operations means increasing the scope of your: SaaS stack, or the online tools you use to run your business.”

Self-analysis and evaluation are difficult, yet they are recommended actions before making the biggest decision on your business, the PieSync article added: “Do your business apps fit your business now and as you scale? Now is the time to upgrade systems, try new tools and fill in any gaps.”

Philip Salter follows up on the scaleup concept. “To manage the growth of your company, manage cash flow. If you are upside down on your finances, review cash flow weekly to understand where the gaps are and solve them. Watch your AR, AP, inventory, and hiring like a hawk. Look for more ways for revenue to flow better to the bottom line.”

Your cash flow needs constant reviews and inventing ways to save money by closing gaps that may lead to loss of revenue. One way of managing your cash flow is monitoring how much you spend on your employee remuneration,” according to the Start Up Donut.

“As you scale and grow your business, you’re likely to need more staff. Your relationship with them might not be as close as with previous team members, but everyone must realize the importance of your business values. Consistency and quality are paramount.”

Employees are there to add value to the business, and they must be willing to invest their time and expertise to provide products and services that meet market standards.


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