After many years in the startup scene and having supported over 100 founders, I've repeatedly observed that the transition from startup to scale-up is the most critical phase in a company's life. And at the same time, it's the phase in which most founders are left alone. The greatest challenge? The personal transformation of the founders themselves.
The founders' blind spot
"My company is growing – but I'm not growing with it." I often hear this phrase from founders who realize something is wrong. They sense that they themselves are becoming a bottleneck. Their previous recipes for success are no longer working.
What many fail to realize is that the professionalization of a startup doesn't begin with processes and structures. It begins with the personal development of the founders. The transition from doer to leader, from founder to CEO, is the most critical step.
The most common pitfalls in the scale-up process
In my daily work with founders, I repeatedly observe the following typical behavioral patterns that complicate the professionalization process:
Particularly striking is the tendency to bring experienced managers onto the team as saviors. They are supposed to introduce the desired structures that the founders are struggling with. Unfortunately, they often create structures and processes that work in larger companies, but are completely over-engineered in startups and frustrate everyone. The solution: No copy and paste, but use the experience as a stimulus to jointly develop suitable structures.
Another common pattern is a lack of self-reflection. Many founders fundamentally underestimate how much their own role in the growing company must change. Instead of actively engaging with their development from operational doer to mature leader, they cling to familiar tasks and responsibilities. In doing so, they overlook the fact that true leadership requires a completely new approach.
The way corporate culture is handled is particularly paradoxical: For fear of losing the original startup DNA, necessary changes are postponed. Yet, this avoidance attitude often leads to the loss of culture – when the pressure to change becomes so great that hasty adjustments have to be made. A gradual, value-oriented development of the culture would be a better approach.
The 5 success factors of professionalization
Based on my many years of work with startups, I have identified five key success factors that determine success or failure in the growth phase:
1. Institutionalization as a foundation
The most difficult step for many founders: You have to make yourself "redundant." This means transforming implicit knowledge into explicit structures. The key here is: less is more. Define your non-negotiable minimum standards, but don't create bureaucratic monstrosities. My tip: Start with a clear distribution of roles within the management team – first define the responsibilities, then find the right people.
2. Create vision and clarity of purpose
"We need a vision!" This cry from the team is a warning signal. In the growth phase, you need more than just a vague idea of the future. Develop a tangible mission and vision that will also excite your mainstream customers. Translate this into concrete OKRs or other goal systems. Your team needs this orientation.
3. Develop real leadership
The transition from "Leader of Doers" to "Leader of Leaders" is the most critical step. Systematically develop your internal talent into leaders. When bringing in external managers, pay more attention to cultural fit than to hard skills. My experience shows that many corporate managers fail not because of a lack of technical expertise, but because of the dynamics of the startup phase.
4. Actively shape a growth culture
As CEO, you are the "Chief of Culture." Regularly review: Which cultural elements support our growth? What hinders us? Especially important: Your values must be reflected in the new structures. Culture is not a nice-to-have, but your most important leadership tool.
5. Communication is key
During the growth phase, you can no longer speak to everyone personally. You have to find new ways to convey your messages. My advice: It's better to overcommunicate than undercommunicate. Use different formats and make sure everyone in the company understands the journey.
Starting over: The future of startup professionalization
Yes, professionalization has a lot to do with the right structures and processes. You have to move away from the creative ad hoc nature of the early startup phase and toward replicable processes and structures. But that's far from everything. Even the best processes have their limits. And then it all comes down to trust and cooperation within the team. Even—or especially—in large companies, leadership is about relationship building. Deep trust is the glue that motivates, drives, and ultimately makes new work, hybrid work models, and Generation Z successful.
Forward-looking founders consciously build trust, step by step. They start by handing over small tasks, intensively discussing progress and results, and thus become increasingly able to let go. Forget about jumping in at the deep end. That can work out well sometimes, but it usually leads to disaster.
Your emotional intelligence is crucial. In hybrid work models, the ability to understand and lead people, even from a distance, becomes a key skill. This requires a high degree of empathy and emotional understanding.
Added to this is the growing importance of systems thinking in an increasingly complex world. Successful CEOs must be able to recognize connections and shape systems rather than just solving individual problems.
Timeless principles for sustainable growth
One thing to note: There is no universal path to professionalization. Every startup must find its own way. What does exist, however, are timeless principles that significantly influence the success of the transformation. Authenticity is key. Instead of blindly copying the supposed best practices of large tech companies, startups should develop their own solutions that fit their DNA. An authentic, albeit imperfect, approach will be better received by the team than a perfect, but tacked-on system.
The pace of change also plays a crucial role. Radical restructuring overwhelms both the organization and its people. An evolutionary approach with continuous, smaller adjustments is more successful. When teams are given time to adapt to change, more sustainable structures emerge.
The importance of psychological safety is particularly underestimated. True growth—both personal and organizational—requires an environment where people aren't afraid of making mistakes. A culture that facilitates open feedback and learning from mistakes is the breeding ground for successful transformation.
A personal word at the end
As a former C-level executive, I know both sides: the challenges of growth and the pain of failure. The path from founder to CEO is one of the greatest personal challenges of all. It requires courage, humility, and the willingness to continually reinvent yourself.
My appeal to all founders in the growth phase: Take the time for your personal development. Find sparring partners. Reflect regularly. Professionalizing your startup is not a sprint, but a marathon. But with the right attitude and support, you can not only master this phase but emerge stronger from it. Because one thing is certain: Only those who grow themselves can ensure sustainable growth for a company.
