The Startup Podcast

Career Progression at Startups - Caution: NOT How Big Companies Do It (Edu)

Listen Later

One of the toughest challenges in early-stage startups is managing employee career development. Unlike big corporations, startups thrive on chaos, ownership, and self-driven growth, meaning traditional professional development programs often fall flat. 


In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein break down the harsh realities of career development in startups and explain why founders must rethink how they motivate and retain talent.


In this episode, you'll hear about:

  • Why startups don’t (and shouldn’t) offer structured career development programs.
  • The key differences between career growth in startups versus big companies.
  • Why hiring A-players is just the start—and keeping them motivated is the real challenge.
  • How to spot red flags in employees who can’t thrive in unstructured environments.
  • Why startup culture, vision, and momentum matter more than promotions and titles.
  • How founders can maintain a culture of ownership and motivation without the luxury of corporate resources.
  • The uncomfortable truth about spoon-feeding employees and why self-driven growth is key.


    • Whether you're a founder feeling blindsided by employee demands or an aspiring startup employee, this episode provides invaluable insights to help you navigate the unique landscape of career growth in the startup world.


    The Pact

    Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:

    • Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
    • Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Secure your official TSP merchandise at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.tsp.show/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Follow us on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.


      • Key links

      • The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.vanta.com/tsp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
      • Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
      • The Startup Podcast website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tsp.show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


        • Learn more about Chris and Yaniv

        Work 1:1 with Chris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://chrissaad.com/advisory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        Follow Chris on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


        Credits

        Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Justin McArthur⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        Content Strategist: Carolina Franco https://www.linkedin.com/in/francocarolina/
        Intro Voice: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeremiah Owyang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        The Startup PodcastBy Yaniv Bernstein, Chris Saad
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5

        5

        36 ratings

        More shows like The Startup Podcast

        View all
        This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

        This Week in Startups

        1,273 Listeners

        Startups For the Rest of Us by Rob Walling

        Startups For the Rest of Us

        696 Listeners

        a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

        a16z Podcast

        1,040 Listeners

        The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship by Omer Khan

        The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship

        182 Listeners

        The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

        The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

        519 Listeners

        Pivot by New York Magazine

        Pivot

        9,257 Listeners

        The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

        The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

        175 Listeners

        Founders by David Senra

        Founders

        1,906 Listeners

        Masters of Scale by WaitWhat

        Masters of Scale

        3,998 Listeners

        Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

        Y Combinator Startup Podcast

        217 Listeners

        The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

        The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

        5,414 Listeners

        The Startup Ideas Podcast by Greg Isenberg

        The Startup Ideas Podcast

        201 Listeners

        The Ben & Marc Show by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz

        The Ben & Marc Show

        135 Listeners

        AI + a16z by a16z

        AI + a16z

        31 Listeners

        Lightcone Podcast by Y Combinator

        Lightcone Podcast

        22 Listeners