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Coursera QA Team and Joe Haslam

If you want to find out how to begin to scale up a start-up company, this course is for you! This course will guide you through all the key questions you need to ask yourself to prepare to scale up a start-up, provide you with key tips and frameworks to begin the scaleup process for a start-up, and offer insights from real, successful companies who have been in your shoes before and have scaled up their start-ups.

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If you want to find out how to begin to scale up a start-up company, this course is for you! This course will guide you through all the key questions you need to ask yourself to prepare to scale up a start-up, provide you with key tips and frameworks to begin the scaleup process for a start-up, and offer insights from real, successful companies who have been in your shoes before and have scaled up their start-ups.

In this course, you'll learn to differentiate between growth and scaling, identify the key challenges of scaling up (and solutions to these challenges), and pick up best practices for scaling a start-up effectively and efficiently to build a weatherproof company. You'll get practical advice and big-picture insights from well-known companies and experts in the field who have scaled up their start-ups so you can see what has worked for other companies and develop a "toolbox" of scaleup solutions.

Make your scaleup journey as smooth and surprise-free as possible - with this course, you´ll know the types of issues that arise when start-ups scale up and learn how to solve them!

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What's inside

Syllabus

Scaling a Startup
This week, we will take a high-level look at the place of scaling and scaleups within entrepreneurship and innovation and begin to formulate how scaleups and startups differ: when is it time to scale up? How do you transition from startup to scaleup? And what are some of the pitfalls of scaling up your company too soon?
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What is a Scaleup?
What makes a scaleup different than a startup? What questions should you be asking yourself before you start to scale up? And does startup type determine scaleup strategy? These are a few of the key questions we will address in this module.
Scaling Fast vs. Scaling Slow: The Role of Risk
Is scaling a sprint or a marathon? That depends on your view on risk, your industry insight, and how weatherproof your company can be - all of which we will cover in this module.
Exponential Growth
We hear a lot about exponentiality, but what does it actually mean? In this module, we will establish the key differences between growth (which is linear) and scaling (which is exponential), looking at examples from successful companies to further illustrate this difference as we prepare to scale up.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Introduces differences between startups and scaleups, critical questions to ask before scaling, and defining the best time to scale
Investigates the distinct challenges encountered by scaleups and offers practical solutions to overcome them
Provides valuable advice and insights from experienced companies who have successfully navigated the scaleup process
Emphasizes the importance of recognizing potential issues and provides strategies for addressing them
Suitable for those aspiring to scale up a startup or with a keen interest in the challenges and best practices involved in the process
Requires fundamental knowledge and understanding of startup operations

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Why Scale a Startup? with these activities:
Review Exponential Growth Concepts
Refresh your understanding of exponential growth and its implications for scaling up a start-up.
Browse courses on Exponential Growth
Show steps
  • Review course materials on exponential growth.
  • Identify examples of exponential growth in the business world.
  • Discuss the challenges and opportunities of exponential growth for start-ups.
Join a Start-up Scaling Community
Connect with other founders, investors, and mentors who can provide support and advice on your scaling journey.
Browse courses on Networking
Show steps
  • Identify relevant start-up scaling communities.
  • Join the communities and participate in discussions.
  • Attend community events and meetups.
Attend a Workshop on Scaling Up Start-ups
Gain insights from experts and connect with other entrepreneurs at a workshop dedicated to the challenges of scaling up start-ups.
Show steps
  • Research and identify relevant workshops.
  • Attend the workshop and actively participate.
  • Network with other attendees and speakers.
Four other activities
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Show all seven activities
Read "Scaling Up Excellence"
Review the key principles and best practices for scaling up a start-up, as outlined in this seminal work by Sutton and Rao.
Show steps
  • Read the introduction and first three chapters.
  • Identify key principles and practices for scaling up.
  • Summarize the main ideas of each chapter.
Create a Growth Story Map
Visualize your start-up's growth journey by creating a storyboard that outlines key milestones, challenges, and solutions.
Browse courses on Startup Growth
Show steps
  • Identify key milestones in your start-up's growth.
  • Describe the challenges you faced at each milestone.
  • Explain how you overcame these challenges.
Conduct a Market Research Survey
Gather valuable insights into your target market and their needs to inform your scaling strategy.
Browse courses on Market Research
Show steps
  • Identify key market research questions.
  • Design a survey to gather data.
  • Conduct the survey and collect data.
  • Analyze the data and draw insights.
  • Develop recommendations based on the insights.
Apply Scaling Techniques to Case Studies
Test your understanding of scaling techniques by analyzing real-world case studies and applying the principles you have learned.
Browse courses on Case Studies
Show steps
  • Identify key scaling techniques discussed in the course.
  • Review case studies of start-ups that have successfully scaled up.
  • Apply the scaling techniques to the case studies.

Career center

Learners who complete Why Scale a Startup? will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Business Development Manager
As a Business Development Manager, you are responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities for your company. This course can help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role by teaching you how to identify and evaluate new market opportunities, develop and execute business plans, and negotiate and close deals. Importantly, this course will help you understand the factors that contribute to successful business scaling.
Product Manager
Product Managers are responsible for developing and managing products from inception to launch and beyond. This course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful Product Manager by teaching you how to define and prioritize product requirements, develop product roadmaps, and manage product development teams.
Consultant
Consultants provide advice and guidance to businesses on a variety of topics, including business strategy, marketing, operations, and finance. This course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful as a Consultant by teaching you how to analyze business problems, develop and implement solutions, and communicate effectively with clients.
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs are individuals who start and run their own businesses. This course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be a successful Entrepreneur by teaching you how to develop and evaluate business ideas, develop and execute business plans, and raise capital.
Venture Capitalist
Venture Capitalists invest in early-stage companies with high growth potential. This course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful as a Venture Capitalist by teaching you how to identify and evaluate investment opportunities, negotiate and close deals, and manage portfolio companies. This course will help you understand the key challenges and opportunities in scaling up a startup company.
Investment Banker
Investment Bankers provide financial advice and services to businesses and governments. This course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful as an Investment Banker by teaching you how to analyze financial statements, develop and execute financial plans, and raise capital. An understanding of scaling can be helpful in providing financial advice to businesses going through this process.
Private Equity Investor
Private Equity Investors invest in companies that are not publicly traded. This course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful as a Private Equity Investor by teaching you how to identify and evaluate investment opportunities, negotiate and close deals, and manage portfolio companies. This course will provide foundational knowledge in the scaling process of a startup.
Financial Analyst
Financial Analysts provide financial advice and services to businesses and individuals. This course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful as a Financial Analyst by teaching you how to analyze financial statements, develop and execute financial plans, and make investment recommendations.
Accountant
Accountants provide accounting and financial services to businesses and individuals. This course may be useful for Accountants who want to develop a deeper understanding of the financial challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up a business.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for Marketing Managers who want to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up a business to maximize the impact of their marketing strategies.
Sales Manager
Sales Managers are responsible for leading and managing sales teams. This course may be useful for Sales Managers who want to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up a business to build and manage a successful sales team.
Operations Manager
Operations Managers are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a business. This course may be useful for Operations Managers who want to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up a business.
Human Resources Manager
Human Resources Managers are responsible for managing the human resources function of a business. This course may be useful for Human Resources Managers who want to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up a business in scaling its workforce and attracting top-tier talent.
Information Technology Manager
Information Technology Managers are responsible for managing the information technology function of a business. This course may be useful for Information Technology Managers who want to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up a business.
Supply Chain Manager
Supply Chain Managers are responsible for managing the supply chain of a business. This course may be useful for Supply Chain Managers who want to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling up a business.

Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Why Scale a Startup?.
Is used as a roadmap through the technology adoption life cycle. It helps identify and target mainstream customers and avoid common pitfalls when scaling up a technology start-up.
Provides a framework for understanding why successful companies often struggle to innovate and adapt to new technologies. It helps identify the challenges of scaling up a start-up in a rapidly changing market.
Introduces the concept of the lean start-up methodology, which emphasizes rapid iteration and customer feedback. It helps guide the scaling-up process by focusing on building a sustainable business model.
Provides a practical guide to scaling up a business while maintaining a high level of performance. It offers insights into building a strong organizational culture and effectively managing growth.
Identifies common dilemmas faced by start-up founders and provides guidance on making sound decisions. It helps anticipate potential roadblocks and develop strategies for successful scaling.
Provides a framework for developing and evaluating effective strategies for scaling up a business. It helps clarify goals, identify key metrics, and align resources to achieve desired outcomes.
Focuses on the early stages of scaling up a business, particularly on acquiring and retaining customers. It provides practical techniques for generating leads, building a customer base, and driving growth.
Challenges conventional wisdom about starting and scaling up a business. It encourages entrepreneurs to focus on creating unique and innovative products or services that have the potential to disrupt existing markets.
Provides a practical guide to using the lean product development methodology. It helps refine product ideas, test assumptions, and iterate quickly to build a scalable business.
Emphasizes the importance of setting ambitious goals and taking consistent action. It provides motivation and strategies for scaling up a business by focusing on high-impact activities.
Explores the characteristics of exponential organizations that have achieved rapid growth and scale. It provides insights into leveraging technology, automation, and collaboration to scale up a business effectively.

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