If I don’t see it (and smell it) … I run.
Nothing limits the upside more than when the employees, especially the First 50, aren’t almost as engaged in the vision as the founders.
If the CEO can get not just the first few folks, but also, the first 20, 40 50 employees excited to be on a journey together … she can scale.
If employee #20, #35, #50 isn’t as excited to join as employees 2, 3 and 5 … well, I understand why.
But I get a lot less excited about the company’s prospects to do something really great.