scaling

How to Avoid Premature Scaling, the #1 Killer of Startups

Premature scaling is widely believed to be the #1 killer of startups. So how to avoid it?  Here is a great article with 10 things you should consider before scaling up.   

Highlights: 

  1. Scale remotely to minimize new overhead
  2. Spend money on the best people
  3. Understand what it takes to serve 10x the customers
  4. Systems first
  5. Premature scaling kills
  6. Listen to your customers (harder than it sounds!)
  7. Ride one horse at a time
  8. Be selective, open up slowly
  9. Stay focused on cash flow! 
  10. Estimate growth, then divide by 2

Full article here.

How to 10x Your Growth if You’re a Startup with Early Traction

The good folks at 500 Startups shared this set of tips on accelerating your startup once it's got some traction.

Short version: 

  1. Qualify the best users: who are they; what is unique about them; what makes them valuable.
  2. Identify where they go online; what draws their attention.
  3. Access distribution channels; how do we get them in those places?
  4. Automate existing processes; scale it up!

Read the full article here.