Smaller teams, bigger opportunities. 7 reasons why working in a startup will take your career farther.

We’ve asked founders, we’ve asked marketers, product managers, and engineers. We’ve asked people who have worked in startups, scaleups, and large enterprises. The consensus is in: working in a startup is the best way to achieve personal and professional growth in your career.?

Granted, whether you work at Shopify with a team that could populate a small city, or at a startup that barely populates a boardroom table—there are benefits to both. But for those of us dreamers who want to be more than a cog in a machine, startups are the answer. We are builders, after all.?

The resounding sentiment from the builders we’ve spoken with is that they thrive in the challenge of creation and in the vulnerability of ownership.

The resounding sentiment from the builders we’ve spoken with is that they thrive in the challenge of creation and in the vulnerability of ownership.

Innovative problem solving, rapid iteration, and the willingness to succeed, fail and grow together? is what fuels the fire of startup teams. It’s hard, high-risk work, and builders love living on this edge because they know that positive change flourishes there.

Beyond waxing poetic about the love of the game, working in a startup has a number of tangible benefits that truly shape your career.?

Accelerate your learning?

When you start on the ground floor, the only direction you can go is up. As a company’s needs change throughout the early stages of building, employees have the chance to acquire dynamic skill sets. For example, an engineer may come on as a junior developer and quickly upskill to become a team lead as the company grows.The learning curve is steep, compared to a large enterprise where an individual would maintain the same role function in an equivalent time span.?

Work with passionate people

Startup teams are built by people who truly care enough about the problem they’re solving? to take on the risk of working in a startup. This results in tight-knit teams who have a high level of personal emotional investment in the company and each other. They say that going through challenges together is the best way to form close bonds. The relationships formed within startup teams truly reflect the closeness fostered by solving problems and creating together every day. The people who work in startups are amongst the most visionary and innovative individuals out there.?

Have real influence

Working in a small team means that there is less distance between the top and the bottom of the organization. With fewer voices in the crowd, each individual is heard more clearly.? In a startup, every person's ideas, strategy and thoughts can drive significant value. Everyone's work is seen and celebrated. We're all on the bridge of the ship, keeping a look out for icebergs and tailwinds. Even the most junior individuals in a startup can have a huge influence on the trajectory of the company.?

Experience true ownership?

Typically, all employees of a startup have the opportunity to acquire shares of the company - meaning that each employee truly owns a part of the company. An increase in the company’s financial performance or value can result in a much greater payout of equity above and beyond an individual's salary. This is an incredible opportunity that allows individuals to become deeply invested in the long term success of the company.?

Constantly create & innovate

If you know the “Pivot!” meme from Friends - then you know what it’s like to work in a startup. As mentioned before, the constant creativity that comes with building a company from the ground up is thrilling. Every day is different. Even more meaningful is the chance to contribute to world-changing? innovation. Startups and small businesses are the foundations of new innovation in technology and products that help move our world forward.

Try on new hats

Small teams count on their people to take on challenges above and beyond the scope of their experience, role or field. This gives workers the opportunity to try new things and gain a wide range of experiences as opposed to focusing on one niche of business operations. For example, a marketer at a startup may get the opportunity to contribute to sales, customer service, talent acquisition, product management, and operations versus strictly running digital ad campaigns for a large company.?

Get mentored by the best?

Mentorship is key to startup success and a natural part of working in a small team. In a large company, you may never meet any member of the C suite. In a startup, the CEO’s desk is only a few feet away and they’re constantly sharing life lessons from their past entrepreneurial endeavours. Growing employees have direct access to experienced leadership and in turn the opportunity to learn from their stories, mistakes and successes right from the source.?

Working in a startup is an exciting way to accelerate your career, learn new skills, and meet great people along the way. Innovation is essential to the future of our economies and society and there is no better way to have a direct impact than by working for and supporting small businesses.?

If you’re curious about the startup world, or want to check out job opportunities at emerging Canadian companies - head to www.combinevb.com to learn more.