VIDEO: 8 Corporate Traps That Startups Always Fall Into

First, delete all your status meetings

Your startup is a real business. It’s more than just a side hustle or a passion project. You need to grow it into a big business while maintaining the advantages of being a startup.

The problem is, the lure of those big business crutches will always be there, and eventually they’ll offset your startup advantages.

As a 30-year startup vet, I’ve reached the point in my career where I get called to come in and fix companies — high-growth startups and big corporate companies alike. After dozens and dozens of fixes, I’ve developed some controversial takes.

Here are the top things I have to undo, the statuses I have to un-quo, the corporate traps that startups keep falling into.

Oh, and for the record, no judgment here. I’ve fallen into all of these traps myself, sometimes more than once.

If you’ve already read the post, there’s some extra commentary at the end of the video.

This post originally appeared in Inc Magazine, where I write a weekly column. Please join my email list at joeprocopio.com, and I’ll send you brief emails whenever I post to Medium, Inc., Built In, or whatever.

My public writing is for entertainment value, mostly. If you want my real startup and business advice, try Teaching Startup, my project to make advice more actionable and affordable.