ICYMI: Master CMO and Company Builder Yaniv Masjedi: These 5 Things Will Help You Achieve, and Enjoy, Rapid Company Growth

When you're busy fighting fires as you scale your company, remember first and foremost to stay calm.

APR 22, 2024

Yaniv Masjedi is the chief marketing officer of Nextiva , a fast-growing enterprise software company headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. When you talk with Masjedi, you can't help but notice that he exudes a sense of purposeful calm. ?He seems both aware of and not swept up by the swirl of activity going on all around him, even though he insists on sitting smack dab in the middle of the Nextiva marketing team.?

If you were to ask Masjedi to share his tips for scaling a company (Nextiva has grown from five employees to more than 1,500 and in 2021 landed an infusion of $200 million from Goldman Sachs at a $2.7 billion valuation), you shouldn't be surprised to learn that achieving calm comes first.

According to Masjedi, these five things will help you achieve rapid company growth--and enjoy yourself in the process.

1. Stay calm

Like every successful company, Nextiva's growth trajectory came with its share of mini-crises and fires to put out along the way, and dealing with them is part of the job. But you can't let them consume you. Says Masjedi, "In the face of all that, calm is an overlooked superpower that I would recommend every entrepreneur aspire to. You set the tone. Lead with calm."

2. Spend your money with care

Whether it's your own money or an infusion from investors, it can be tempting to do some silly things to make you feel like you're running a "real" company, when you should be spending that capital on things that will help your business grow. In other words, you may not need a fancy office in a downtown Class A office building. Spend only on what matters.

3. Focus

Don't try to do too many things at once. Stick to the basics and never forget your company's values. Masjedi explains, "It's easy for a business-builder to get sidetracked. You must cut out the noise, however, and wherever you can." For Masjedi, this means easing away from social media. For others, it might be scaling back different distractions. We all have what could be called time vices--shiny things that draw our attention away from what we should be doing. Figure out what yours is and then move away from it. The more time this leaves you, the happier you will be, both at work and with your loved ones.

4. Build your culture in a meaningful way

Forget the Ping-Pong tables and the foosball. Instead, focus on recognizing your employees and helping them grow in their careers. Do this, and your company will grow apace.

5. Be careful whom you share the entrepreneurial journey with

A startup's founding team--and as the company grows, its executive team--makes all the difference when it comes to the success, or failure, of the business. You are shaped by the people who surround you, so choose wisely. Says Masjedi, "The people with whom you share your professional and personal life make you who you are, day to day. Make sure those humans are positive, smart, and empathetic. This matters most."

Growing a company can be an amazing experience, but it's not for the faint of heart. Make a habit of focusing your attention--and your resources--on what's most important. And remember first and foremost: Stay calm.

This is a guest article from Peter Economy The Leadership Guy, originally published in Inc.