Corporate vs Startup

May 10, 2020

Having beers with a friend that works in a corporate, I noticed the difference between climbing a corporate ladder versus a startup ladder.

What's climbing a corporate ladder like?

In the corporate world, your job title is a big deal. The larger your team you manage, the more prestige.

Do your bosses notice your work? Do they praise you often? Do they socialize with you after hours?

In the corporate sphere, you're engaged in a status game. Play it right, and you'll get ahead.

What about climbing a startup ladder?

Job titles are blurry in a startup. You could be dubbed a CTO... but CTO of who? Yourself? Your title doesn't accurately reflect what you do.

Large teams may be a sign of inefficiency.

Can you handle a law that's obstructing your social media ads? Can you address supply chain problems? Can you identify why customers are churning?

In a startup, you're in a problem-solving game all time and you're judged based in that.