What's the difference between a startup that's growing and just getting fat? Startups are synonymous with growth, so much so that we treat growth and the prospect of "getting bigger" as exclusively good. If we're growing, we must be winning, and therefore "growth is good."

But what happens when that growth turns from muscle to big, sloppy fat? All of a sudden, growth isn't good anymore. In fact, it's just kinda gross. Well, that's exactly what happens at startups, and it's not just when we hit thousands of people post-IPO. It can happen when we hit 20 people, and we're no longer the lean startup we were meant to be.

As Founders we need to be hyper-conscious about every bit of growth and whether it's actually making us more healthy overall.