Navigating Growth: How to Preserve Company Culture as You Scale to 100 Employees”
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re navigating the exciting but challenging moments of rapid growth. Maybe your company is doubling in size, or you’re adding new layers of management for the first time. Exciting, right? But let’s be honest: it’s also a bit terrifying, especially when it comes to preserving the unique company culture that has made your team successful.”
As a two-time Inc. 5000 honoree, I’ve been fortunate to connect with founders of fast-growing companies who’ve successfully scaled past 50 and 100 employees. Through these conversations, one theme stands out: growth can strain—even break—the very culture that made your company special. But it doesn’t have to.
I’m sharing the stories, lessons, and actionable strategies from these seasoned entrepreneurs to help you scale your team without losing the soul of your organization.
The Common Thread: Early experiences build company culture.
Many founders revealed the surprising fact that they plant the seeds of culture long before scaling becomes a reality. It starts with the very first hires—their values, behaviors, and how they embody the company’s mission. If you wait until you’re at 50 employees to think about culture, you’re already behind.
One founder told me about their experience building a marketing agency. When they were just five people, they took an afternoon off to brainstorm a list of “non-negotiables”—values they wanted to guide every decision. “We weren’t hiring for roles,” they said, “we were hiring for alignment.” That prior work paid off when the team grew to 80 people. Those original values became a filter for hiring and performance, keeping the culture intact.
Takeaway:
Start small and define your culture early.
- Create a one-page “culture manifesto” with your team.
- Identify and document your core values.
- Use these values to guide every hire, even if it slows the process.
The Breaking Point: 50 Employees
The transition from a close-knit team to a larger organization is where many founders hit their first cultural roadblocks. Communication silos form. New hires outnumber early employees, diluting traditions. It’s easy to feel like the culture is slipping away.
One founder shared how they realized this when their weekly team lunches—the highlight of the week—felt chaotic and impersonal. “We had 60 people crammed into a room that used to hold 20,” they said. The solution? Smaller, team-based gatherings. Each department started hosting their own version of the weekly lunch, preserving the intimacy and connection that made the original practice so meaningful.
Takeaway:
Rethink traditions to scale with your team.
- Identify which rituals need adapting for a larger team.
- Introduce team-specific versions of your traditions to maintain connection.
- Host quarterly culture “check-ins” to evaluate what’s working.
The Tipping Point: 100 Employees
Hitting 100 employees often signals the need for systems and processes to maintain company culture. Without them, rapid hiring, new leadership layers, and geographic expansion can pull the organization in different directions.
One CEO of a software startup described their wake-up call: a top-performing employee resigned, citing a “disconnect” between the company’s stated values and how decisions were being made. “It hit me hard,” the CEO admitted. In response, they launched leadership training for all managers, emphasizing how to embody company values in everyday decisions. They also created a “values in action” award, recognizing employees who exemplified the culture.
Takeaway:
Codify your culture to make it scalable.
- Develop leadership training that teaches managers how to model your company culture.
- Incorporate cultural alignment into performance reviews.
- Create recognition programs to celebrate cultural champions.
What the Best Companies Do Differently
From these conversations, I noticed a few standout strategies that the best leaders use to preserve culture during growth:
- Communicate Relentlessly:
One founder shared how they implemented monthly all-hands meetings, using storytelling to reinforce the company’s mission and values. “People need to hear the same message in different ways,” they said. - Over-Invest in Onboarding:
Another founder described onboarding as their “secret weapon” for culture-building. New hires spent their first two weeks immersed in the company’s history, values, and stories of employee impact. - Be Willing to Let Go:
“Not everyone will grow with you,” said one CEO candidly. They stressed the importance of parting ways with employees who no longer align with the culture, even if they were valuable in earlier stages.
Takeaway:
Be proactive and intentional.
- Use onboarding to embed culture early.
- Host storytelling sessions to reinforce values.
- Don’t hesitate to make tough decisions to protect your culture.
Conclusion
Growth can be both exhilarating and daunting, but the entrepreneurs I’ve spoken with all agree on one thing: culture is your company’s most valuable asset. It’s not just a “nice-to-have”—it’s the glue that holds everything together as you scale.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already doing something right. You care about the culture you’ve built, and that’s half the battle. Now, the challenge is to nurture it intentionally, adapt it thoughtfully, and protect it fiercely as your team grows.
