Scaling too soon — before the data and sales processes trigger a green light — is a common reason I hear for startups failing. The Startup Genome Project analyzed 3,200 startups and found that 70% scaled prematurely.
So, let’s flip the conversation. What happens when companies scale the right way? Stripe started in 2010. By 2014 the valuation had grown to $3.5 billion, and today, multiple rounds of funding later, Stripe's valuation is listed at $35 billion. Airbnb started in 2007 when the founders rented out airbeds on their floor. Despite its start, its leadership turned a new concept into a mainstream solution.
