Most startups start with one or two people. As they grow, they are still considered a startup, but each new person you bring on also brings with it an additional level of challenge. Startup founders generally bring on new people to take on tasks that they can no longer manage. This frees up their time to focus on continuing to build and grow their business, but they still have to manage all their new employees. It is natural to give new employees in a startup more latitude than you might in a more established business because they are called on to wear more hats and to help with a wider range of tasks. What this can lead to, however, is chaos and a growing lack of alignment in the company. Here are three ways to maintain success in a startup.
Create an evolving business plan
Most people think of a business plan as something you need eventually to woo investors. In truth, your business should start with a solid business plan that evolves as your needs change. It won’t start out being as comprehensive as the one you eventually need to pitch to investors, but it should include goals that you want to accomplish or achieve. These will change as your business grows, but they should always be shared with employees. Knowing where you are heading and where you want to go next helps everyone stay on the same page.
Set your mission, vision, and values in stone
When every employee knows what you stand for and what your values are, it empowers them to make decisions that are in alignment with those values. Deciding on your mission, vision, and values in advance helps embed them as a part of the DNA of the company. When you build your company around those values from the ground up, you are less likely to stray from them later.
Open lines of communication
Regular communication with employees can be time-consuming, but it is also critical for company alignment. Communication should also not be just one way. Yes, having regular staff meetings where you communicate information is great, but getting regular feedback from employees is also critical.