DREIESKIVA​|Roald Kvam

You Can’t Scale Chaos. Growth Must Be Matched with Structure.

---

Introduction

Scaling a business is more than just acquiring new customers or increasing revenue. It’s about building a foundation that can sustain and amplify growth over time. Many startups hit an invisible wall not because their product fails, but because their systems and culture aren’t equipped to scale. What worked for ten people no longer works for a hundred; what felt agile at first becomes chaotic at scale.

As a company transitions from startup to scaleup, leaders must turn their attention to building scalable systems and a resilient culture. These are the invisible infrastructures that determine whether growth becomes a multiplier or a meltdown.

Let’s explore why systems and culture are vital to scaling, and how to design both intentionally.

---

Why systems and culture are critical in the scaleup phase

The Startup vs. Scaleup Shift

In the startup phase, companies prioritize speed, iteration, and survival. Decisions are made informally, roles overlap, and flexibility is the rule. But in the scaleup phase, complexity increases exponentially: more people, more customers, more tools, more decisions. Without clear systems and a unified culture, the risk of chaos and burnout rises sharply.

Scaling isn’t just growing. It’s growing without breaking.

Key Symptoms of Unscalable Growth

• Repeated miscommunications and delays
• Inconsistent customer experiences
• Burned-out teams and unclear accountability
• Cultural drift or toxic subcultures emerging

If these symptoms sound familiar, it may be time to focus not on more, but on better — better systems, better roles, better culture.

---

Designing scalable systems

Systems are the repeatable processes, tools, and workflows that guide how work gets done. They enable consistency, accountability, and quality at scale.

1. Standardize What Works

Start by identifying your core business processes: onboarding, sales, support, product development, marketing, etc. Standardize the practices that consistently produce good results. Document them clearly.

Example: Instead of handling customer onboarding ad hoc, create a defined onboarding journey with templates, timelines, and ownership.

2. Automate the Repetitive

Repetition creates opportunity for automation. Invest in technology and tools that reduce manual work, prevent human error, and free up team capacity.

Tools to consider:

• CRM systems (e.g., HubSpot)
• Project management tools (e.g., Miro, Trello, Favro)
• Automated reporting and analytics dashboards

Automation isn’t about replacing people – it’s about amplifying them.

3. Clarify Roles and Accountability

In early stages, roles often overlap. But at scale, ambiguity leads to confusion and dropped balls. Create clear role definitions, ownership maps, and escalation paths.

Use frameworks like RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) to clarify decision-making authority.

4. Build Feedback Loops

Systems aren’t static. Create regular review cycles to improve processes based on team input and performance metrics.

Tip: A simple monthly or quarterly retrospective can uncover friction points and spark innovation.

5. Balance Process with Agility

Don’t over-engineer. Systems should enable people, not constrain them. Leave room for adaptation, experimentation, and learning.

Mantra: «Just enough process.»

---

Building a scalable culture

Culture is how people behave when no one is watching. It’s the shared beliefs, values, and norms that shape how work gets done. Culture can be your greatest asset in scaling — or your biggest liability.

1. Define and Document Your Core Values

If your culture is only verbal or implied, it will fracture under pressure. Create a clear, documented set of core values that guide decisions and behavior.

Avoid generic buzzwords like «excellence» or «innovation.» Instead, be specific and contextual. Describe what the value looks like in action.

Example:

• Value: «Own It»
• Behavior: «We take full responsibility for our outcomes and communicate proactively when we’re stuck.»

2. Embed Values in Everyday Practices

Culture isn’t built through posters or slide decks. It’s built through everyday habits, rituals, and leadership behavior.

Embed your values in:

• Hiring and onboarding
• Performance reviews
• Recognition and rewards
• How meetings are run

If you value transparency, how is that reflected in your communication tools? If you value learning, how do you invest in development?

3. Train for Leadership at All Levels

As your company grows, leaders multiply. But if they aren’t trained, inconsistency spreads.

Invest in leadership development, especially for first-time managers. Teach them how to:

• Give feedback
• Resolve conflict
• Coach performance
• Model cultural values

Leaders are culture carriers. Equip them well.

4. Foster Psychological Safety

Innovation and accountability flourish in environments where people feel safe to speak up, make mistakes, and challenge ideas.

At scale, create structures to listen to voices at every level. Encourage disagreement without fear. Build feedback channels that reach the top.

Example tools:

• Anonymous surveys
• Regular skip-level meetings
• Peer coaching circles

5. Guard Against Cultural Drift

As new people join and new markets are entered, culture dilutes unless protected. Monitor cultural health as actively as financial metrics.

Appoint cultural stewards, track engagement data, and course-correct as needed.

Tip: When something feels «off,» say it. Culture is shaped most in moments of tension.

---

Integrating systems and culture: The flywheel effect

Systems and culture aren’t separate. In fact, they reinforce each other. Clear systems create clarity and reduce friction. A strong culture motivates people to work within and improve those systems.

Think of it as a flywheel:

• Systems drive consistency
• Culture fuels commitment
• Together, they generate momentum

When systems are rigid and culture is weak, people disengage. But when systems are clear and flexible, and culture is strong and human-centered, scaling becomes not just possible – it becomes energizing.

---

Common pitfalls in the scaleup phase

1. Overemphasis on Tools, Underinvestment in People

Buying new software won’t fix broken communication or unclear roles. Focus on team capability, not just tech.

2. Hiring Fast, Onboarding Poorly

Rapid growth often leads to underdeveloped onboarding. This leads to role confusion, culture drift, and performance gaps.

Solution: Build a consistent, culture-rich onboarding experience that sets expectations and embeds values.

3. Avoiding Difficult Conversations

In early stages, leaders can rely on proximity and informality. At scale, avoiding conflict leads to silos and disengagement.

Invest in training leaders to communicate clearly, give feedback, and manage tensions productively.

4. Holding Onto Outdated Processes

What worked at five employees may be a liability at 50. Be willing to let go of legacy systems and behaviors that no longer serve.

Ask regularly: «What are we doing out of habit that no longer makes sense?»

---

Scaling with intention

Scaling a business is a complex, demanding journey. But it doesn’t have to be chaotic. By building scalable systems and an intentional culture, leaders can create organizations that grow with purpose and resilience.

Structure enables speed. Culture sustains purpose. Together, they form the operating system of a truly scalable company.

«The systems you build today determine the success you sustain tomorrow. The culture you create today defines the future you scale into.»

Scaling isn’t about doing more of the same. It’s about building the right foundation for more to be possible – and more meaningful.