HBR On Strategy

How to Scale a Start-Up


Listen Later

Managing rapid growth is a huge challenge for young businesses. Even start-ups with glowing reviews and skyrocketing sales can fail. That’s because new ventures and corporate initiatives alike must sustain profitability at scale, according to Harvard Business School senior lecturer Jeffrey Rayport

He has researched some of the biggest stumbling blocks to long-lasting success and he explains how to successfully transition out of the start-up phase. Rayport argues that success has a lot to do with an organization’s cash flow and its ability to meet growing demand. But it also involves something he calls “profit market fit,” which is when an enterprise becomes financially sustainable.

Key episode topics include: strategy, start-ups, entrepreneurial business strategy, customer strategy, growth, scaling, demand, cash flow, sustainable business.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

  • Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode: Why Some Start-Ups Fail to Scale (2022)
  • Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast
  • Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    HBR On StrategyBy Harvard Business Review

    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6

    4.6

    77 ratings


    More shows like HBR On Strategy

    View all
    The McKinsey Podcast by McKinsey & Company

    The McKinsey Podcast

    378 Listeners

    The Look & Sound of Leadership by Essential Communications - Tom Henschel

    The Look & Sound of Leadership

    1,162 Listeners

    Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

    Coaching for Leaders

    1,456 Listeners

    HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

    HBR IdeaCast

    167 Listeners

    Cold Call by HBR Presents / Brian Kenny

    Cold Call

    195 Listeners

    Women at Work by Harvard Business Review

    Women at Work

    1,376 Listeners

    Dear HBR: by Harvard Business Review

    Dear HBR:

    746 Listeners

    Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style by Laura Camacho

    Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

    99 Listeners

    HBS Managing the Future of Work by Harvard Business School

    HBS Managing the Future of Work

    105 Listeners

    Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

    Inside the Strategy Room

    173 Listeners

    McKinsey Talks Talent by McKinsey People & Organizational Performance

    McKinsey Talks Talent

    40 Listeners

    Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques by Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

    Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

    790 Listeners

    Coaching Real Leaders by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

    Coaching Real Leaders

    669 Listeners

    The So What from BCG by Boston Consulting Group BCG

    The So What from BCG

    219 Listeners

    Fixable by TED

    Fixable

    219 Listeners

    HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

    HBR On Leadership

    160 Listeners

    New Here by Harvard Business Review

    New Here

    82 Listeners