Teenagers, growing pains, and hypergrowth companies

I have recently started my journey at HiBob, and would love to share some of my thoughts, of how it is to work in a hypergrowth environment .

Once in a while, my HR collogues ask me if working a a fast growing start up worth the efforts.

My usual answer is that it is not for every one (definitely not for the weak-hearted). However for me, it is the best professional journey I can imagine, and this is why:

Remember being a teen? The world lay ahead, ripe with possibility – only you had tests to pass and parents to please and peers who, like you, were trying to navigate the long and winding road from adolescence to adulthood. It was exciting. It was pressurizing. It was a LOT.

I have a teen boy (15), so lucky me, he reminds me what it was like, back in the old days…?

The teen years remind me of a sitcom where there’s a fresh dilemma or drama in every episode, the ensemble cast of characters range from Beverly Hill, 90210 to Glee, and just when things seem to be going smoothly, you find yourself at the tribal council in danger of being voted out of Survivor.?

It’s a bumpy transitional period when you’re not a child anymore, but neither are you a fully grown adult.

That parallel exists in hypergrowth companies too, as they are often a combination of a startup and medium-size organization. So, while many of the processes exist, there’s a lot that still needs to be put into place.??

For me, working in a hypergrowth company (such as HiBob)? sometimes feels like those teenage years. It’s dynamic, full of challenges, and it demands a lot of you. There’s a whole new world of possibility, coupled with unexpected obstacles. It’s also very rewarding – which is why I do it.

It occurred to me that the “hyper” in hypergrowth goes beyond meeting the definition and constantly hitting the numbers. It also means that it’s high energy. It’s like “a day in the life of” TikTok reel featuring bright, go-getters who want to work with and learn from the best – and go places, quicker.

Last thought, part of what makes this journey exciting, is the people surrounding me, and the one of a kind culture and spirit that we have in HiBob.

Being part of such an amazing People team, is not obvious. It what makes the experience not only exciting and fulfilling, but also fun and pleasant :-)