Startup – A more fashionable word?
When we were starting and looking for people to join us, I personally used to make lot of calls for the initial screening. The screening is very elementary but we made it a rule to do the telephone screening to find if the expectations (ours and the candidate’s) were not too off from each other. It saved our time as well as saved time and energy of the other person. During those days – I used to introduce us by saying that “we are a startup doing ….”. But then Ashima came and she took the job of screening candidates and our contribution got scoped to the actual interviews.
Recently, we were again given the responsibilities of calling up a few people for the telephonic screening (depending upon the profile) and that is when I again had to introduce Tekriti to the potential candidates (I was glad to see that a few people already knew about Tekriti – so my job was easier there). As I started, I was wondering if I should say that “Tekriti is a small company” or should I continue to say that “Tekriti is a startup which was founded 15 months back”. The thought came to my mind because we have come a distance where the risks have reduced drastically while still maintaining the agility and culture that a startup boasts of. So, from that perspective, calling ourselves a startup over the phone may not be the best thing especially when there is a large section of Indian Engineers who still prefer a large established company over a startup (This has to change – it’s just a matter of 2-3 years).
Anyways – I stuck with the word “StartUp” over the phone and went on to describe the kind of stuff we have been doing. A “StartUp” sounds so much more fashionable than a “small company” – and then being in such an early stage, I feel that we refine our strategy much more frequently than a lot of “small companies” out there.
Just wondering – when does an organization really cease to be a startup and become a “small company”!
May be after 2 years if not acquired.
Just wondering how you 3 founders distribute work?
Gaurav usually writes about get into code and Manish seems to be in operation and managing clients and I know you are CEO.
You guys are always in your define role or you swap role sometimes also??
the day you make your first billion (rupees or dollars whatever comes first)
It remains a startup untill it is proved that
the company is doing substantially well in business.i think three parameters guide a company’s strentgh
a) revenues
b) strength of potential employees
c) future projects….which in turn decides how long the company is going to survive in markets.
Hi Ashish
I just came across u company’s website
I m a sw engineer too..I started my career with a startup n now I m in a big multinational
n I joined a big company just for the experience
but I will soon shift back to a startup..man the enviornment is so charged up in a startup
hope u get ur billion bucks soon
Good question Ashish, but the answer to your question is “NEVER”.
Let me explain. There are only two paths that a Startup can take.
PATH-1: Startup –> Small Company –> Out of business
PATH-2: Startup –> Fastest growing company –> Big Company –> Good Company –> Great Company
If you pick PATH-1, your company will be history and part of small business statistics. So you will “NEVER” know was the company a startup or a small company.
I hope you pick PATH-2 and stop asking yourself when your company becomes a small company. And start asking these questions: Is your company growing fast? Is your company’s growth sustainable? If yes, for how long?
Personally I feel give a miss to “small company “.It is not a good adjective .Jump from a start up to a great company like Jatinder says .
Jatinder – I like the way you put it. A startup should become a great company – not even think about becoming a “small company” — totally agree
Piyush / Jatin – I am not really sure if number of years or the current revenues can define that. The pipeline of the processes, almost guaranteed revenues and the processes that have been setup – will probably play a bigger role.
Deepsh / Kiran – thanks for the comments
“there is a large section of Indian Engineers who still prefer a large established company over a startup (This has to change – it’s just a matter of 2-3 years)”
That’s a good thing, IMHO. People willing up to take up offers from startups are those, who are confident of their skills, and know that they can get a job in one of those large companies easily. This is the reason job security is not a big concern on their mind. Quality of work is.
So, in a way, the “perceived” risks associated with a job in a startup act like a pre-interview screening process which weeds out the chaff and a candidate shows up if he is good, and if he knows he is good. Do you really want this situation to change ?
cheers
nilesh
Ashish –
IMO, I think the word “startup”/”small company” is interpreted differently depending on the person with whom you are communicating.
Some people might get excited at startups while some might have apprehensions. Your job should be to work towards clearing those apprehensions.
No matter the person is a prospective client/employee, instead of focussing on just saying that you are a small company/business/starup, you might want to rather heavily focus on the advantages you could offer to them as a “growing company”.
Also, you do not want your clients to lose interest in your services by mentioning that you are “small” which implies you have very limited resources. Instead, try to project it as a “Growing” company that reflects positivity. Same goes while talking to a prospective employee. Explain the fast growth opportunities that your “Growing” company can provide as against in a large company with limited growth.
Never let the your resources hold you back. Expand..forge partnerships..focus on quality..that’s the only way you can grow.
Also, when talking to a client or for that matter a propective employee, your initial focus should be at understanding the requirements of other party but not to try and have them understand your offerings. Never push. Listen and then provide a solution rather than blindly pushing a solution.
G’luck.
Nagendra