Upside Down in Start-Ups

Start-up companies are everywhere these days. I don’t want to say that they are a dime a dozen, but everyone and their uncle seem to be starting a “new venture” with a unique idea, adding to the already extensive list of start-up companies. The sheer number of these companies is testament to the fact that they are currently an inseparable part of the global economy. This is also why you’ll see many open vacancies for jobs at start-ups, each one promising “the opportunity of a lifetime."

But this blog isn’t about why start-ups are popular, or how to create one. I’ll kindly leave that research to the reader! This blog is about what to expect if you are on-boarded as an employee at a start-up company. I’ve been fortunate (and in some cases, very, very unfortunate) to work with a number of start-up companies both as a freelancer and as a full-time employee. The company I currently work for, Technamin, is also a start-up. So, you could say that I have enough experience to put pen to paper and write a blog on the subject. But before I delve into this, I want to make one thing clear:

Start-ups are not necessarily small!

When people hear the word start-up, they automatically imagine a company à la Amazon in its first stages: a person, an idea, a laptop, and a desk. In Bezos’ case, a garage. While that is the stereotype, start-ups can be companies with as many as 100 employees (and more). Take Picsart, for example. It has multiple offices around the world and hundreds of employees. It’s been around for more than 10 years. And yet, it is considered a start-up regardless of its success.

And now, for the burning question that has been driving you mad (probably):

What can I expect when working at a start-up?

For the purposes of keeping this blog short and to-the-point (after making you read a 283-word introduction that had nothing to do with the topic), I’m going to stick to start-ups that have literally just started. I mean companies that are not even a year old. That’s because there’s a higher chance of you coming across one and getting hired there.

Working at these types of companies can be…a little strange at first. Here’s what you can expect (for real, I am actually giving answers now):

1. Disorganization

This is definitely something you’ll run into when working at a start-up. Imagine a baby that has just started to walk. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, and you’re going to be riding along. Don’t let that discourage you, though. At one point, the baby will be able to walk on its own and everything will fall into place (not the best expression, but you get the point).

2. Doing things that are not your responsibility

Why should a content writer also translate things? Why, huh? WHY? Well, because the company is a start-up and hasn’t built its proper infrastructure of employees yet. So, don’t be surprised if your colleagues or management open tasks on you which fall outside of your job description. As the company gets bigger, task distribution will be conducted more efficiently. Until then, though, it’s an “All for one, one for all” vibe. Speaking of vibes…

3. Vibes change as the company grows

When you join a start-up, you’ll likely be introduced to the company’s vision, where they are planning to go, and what vibes you can expect. I know what you can expect for sure: vibes changing! New people will join the company, and slowly but surely, the atmosphere will change. At one point, the company may not be as “fun” as it used to be in the good old days and that’s normal. The business grows, and tends to tighten up a bit. Take things with a grain of salt.

4. People will leave

Don’t get too attached to your colleagues in start-ups at early stages. Or if you do get attached, control your abandonment issues. Because not everyone has the patience to stick with a start-up and employees sometimes end up leaving if they find better gigs. This is a common issue, and usually happens like a dynamo effect. One person leaves, and everything snowballs. I’ve been in a situation where teams of people were leaving and I got worried that the business may go bankrupt. Fortunately, it didn’t. BUT, that brings me to the last point:

5. The start-up might fail

I really, really didn’t want to include the cliché “90% of start-ups fail,” but the fact of the matter is that 90% of start-ups fail. And that may include yours. It’s just an unpleasant fact that you have to deal with. But, just like things respawn in video games, there are always new start-ups, new opportunities, and new potentials. Like my friend David Gold used to say, “Failure is not the end of the world; that’s just society!”

In reality, one would think that after knowing all of this, people would be discouraged from joining these companies or that the whole point of writing this blog was me trying to stop you from joining one. However, that is not the case. This is just me sharing my experience of working at various start-ups. The rest, they say, is up to you. I personally like working in start-ups, especially when they’re just taking their baby steps. It might be a gamble, but imagine being part of the core team which began a start-up that becomes successful over time. It’s like raising a successful child, minus changing diapers. Unless you take diapers as a metaphor for common star-up problems, in which case you’re in deep sh*t. Also, start-ups can become stepping stones to better careers. Has happened more than once, will happen again!

If you are a writer looking to gain the experience you need to kickstart your career (whether in a start-up or a more established company), contact me and I’ll help get you there! As always, I am also open for freelance work provided that it does not involve my current company’s competitors and does not interfere with my workflow there. Yes, I have morals, and yes, I have ethics!

Until next time, cheerio!