Quite an impressive number of disruptor startups are springing up by the day and in different countries. Like most other businesses, these startups will have to consider scaling up at some point to offer more services to a larger client base. Unfortunately, scaling up is a stage that is as dreaded as it is anticipated. Some founders will say that it is the point the business is no longer within your control, but I would like to think that scaling is the point where you equip your startup with the wings to fly higher than you can take it on your own.
At some point in the business, the business will outgrow itself and even outgrow you and it is something you should look forward to if you are hoping to have a business that will outlive you.
For digital or tech startups, scaling up will require things different from what a conventional business would require. It is not about building more infrastructure or physical branches, nor is it going to be about moving from 50 to 500 staff in one breath. It may surprise you that the companies behind some of the fantastic applications and software may not have such large staff strength.
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So instead of dreading the day when you will have to scale your startup, maybe you should start considering putting some of these things in place.
Self-service features
As you work on perfecting and maybe even upgrading your digital services and products, you should enable self-service options so that users can signup, get the services, and even resolve issues on their own. This includes user-friendly interfaces, complaint resolution, maybe a chatbot, and a blog session with short articles detailing how users can get everything done on their own. If this is in place, you may not need more staff before you can grow your customer base. Let your processes gradually begin to involve less and less staff and more of the customers.
Automate processes
Before you get to the point of scaling, you should review your processes far ahead and begin to automate whatever can be automated especially the mundane or repetitive procedures. Customer onboarding, testing, regression runs, code deployment, or whatever else you think can be automated. There is no general rule here and it will differ from sector to sector. Increase your product reconfigurability
Position your systems and products in a way that will allow for modifying existing features or launching new products without going through lengthy release cycles. Where possible, you should be able to deploy changes in hours with as little help from the engineering or technical staff.
Use KPIs and Metrics to measure and manage results objectively
If there is any part of your startup that you cannot measure, then you cannot manage it effectively. Define the key metrics and implement them objectively. Everyone on your team will align themselves with these metrics and deliver results.
Optimize your products and systems to take up to 100 times their current load
Stabilize your products and systems so that they do not malfunction or become unreliable when they have to deal with 100 times their current load. If a little extra customer base already has your system delaying, then you are not properly optimized.
There are other helpful tips that could pertain to your industry. But generally, if you are in the tech space, applying these tips early will have you prepared for scaling up, long before you need to.