Organizations Mature Through Five Stages Concept Startup Credible Sustainable Mature STAGE CEO & TOP TEAM ROLE Idea Maker Zealot Doer Decision Maker Delegator Direction Setter Team Builder Coach Planner Communicator Industry Innovator Change Catalyst Get Started Concept Money Team Proof Survival Focus First clients First employees Revenue/Funding Execution Growth Performance Plan Leadership Drive Payoff Managing growth Going concern Sale or Finance IPO New Growth Routine DEFINING ELEMENTS CONCERNS Startup business ventures progress through five principle growth phases: concept, start up, credible, sustainable, and mature. Each stage is defined in terms of its descriptive elements, business agenda, economics, and key concerns. These points frame a convenient way to think about each of these phases. Start with a business concept, some seed money and a team to get things going. Good business concepts are hard to come by but there are plenty to choose from out of a million new U.S. ventures launched each year and many companies that have been around a few years unwittingly dabbling in several discreet businesses Money at this stage is most likely provided by the one with the idea and, as they say, associated “family, friends and fools (which, by definition, are all fools!)”. People who are both qualified and interested in leading the concept company are scarce. More than likely it is run by someone who has no business being the leader. Most will fail. But, those with determination, energy, brains, wits, a sense of humor, and an thirst to learn from those with more experience, can do just fine. Objectives at this stage are: 1. to prove that the business concept is viable as a business 2. get everything done that can be done with little or no money and to 3. form a leadership team of two to seven individuals with relevant and complementary strengths and who get along well with each other. While no one ever is able to go it alone, it is mandatory that it be clear who among the top team fills the role of leader.