Dear SaaStr: How Does a Founder Mindset Change As You Go From Startup to Scaleup?
The big changes I see:
- Moving (Over Time) From Hustler to Strategist. Though Stay a Hustler, Too 😉
In the early days, you’re in the trenches—selling, building, and doing whatever it takes to survive. But as you scale, you have to step back and focus on strategy. You move from being the doer to the leader, managing teams and making high-level decisions. It’s about learning to trust others to execute while you focus on the bigger picture. - Obsession with Metrics and Levers
As you grow, you start thinking in terms of dashboards and metrics. You learn how much you need to put into the machine to get a specific output. It’s no longer about gut instinct—it’s about understanding the levers of your business and optimizing them for growth. - Letting Go of Control (Mostly)
When you’re small, you know every employee, every customer, and every detail of the product. But as you scale, you lose that intimacy. You can’t interview every hire or know every customer. This forces you to build systems and processes to maintain quality and culture as the company grows. - From Product Obsession to Customer Obsession
In the beginning, you’re obsessed with building the perfect product. But as you scale, the focus shifts to customers—retention, satisfaction, and expansion. You realize that the product is just one piece of the puzzle, the real game is about delivering value to customers and keeping them happy. - Self-Awareness Becomes a Superpower
As Eoghan McCabe (Intercom) put it, self-awareness is critical during the growth stage. You need to recognize your own limitations and bring in process-minded people to handle areas where you’re weak. This shift from “I can do it all” to “I need help” is a big one for founders. - Imposter Syndrome Grows, Not Shrinks
Oddly enough, the more successful you become, the more you might feel like an imposter. You’re constantly comparing yourself to faster-growing companies like Datadog or Slack, and the pressure to keep up can be intense. Success doesn’t eliminate insecurity—it often amplifies it. - From Survival to Scale
In the startup phase, it’s all about survival—getting to product-market fit, landing those first customers, and staying alive. But once you hit scale, the mindset shifts to building a sustainable, repeatable growth engine. It’s about thinking long-term and making decisions that will pay off years down the line. - The Importance of Culture Becomes Clear
When you start, “culture” is really just the founders. And how they and the initial team work. As you grow, culture becomes a critical factor. You start to see the tension between the “old guard” who miss the scrappy days and the “new guard” who bring in BigCo processes. Balancing these dynamics and preserving the core culture while scaling is a challenge that requires deliberate effort. - You Become and Stay Obsessed with the Business 24/7
As a founder, your mind is always on the business—whether you’re in the shower, on a run, or trying to sleep. This doesn’t mean you’re working 24/7, but you’re constantly thinking about how to fix problems, recruit talent, and improve the product. It’s a level of obsession that doesn’t fade with success—it intensifies. - You Realize It’s Not About You
Ultimately, the biggest mindset shift is realizing that the company’s success isn’t about you—it’s about the team, the customers, and the market. Your role evolves from being the hero to being the enabler, creating an environment where others can thrive and drive the business forward.
These shifts are tough but necessary. The founders who embrace them are the ones who successfully navigate the journey from startup to scale.
