Many promising companies with talented founders, capable teams, and solid revenue hit a frustrating growth plateau when expanding from about 10 to 100 employees. Typically, growth falters not due to market shifts or dwindling product appeal, but because the company doesn’t evolve sufficiently to scale. One common pitfall is relying on outdated systems that worked for a small team but fail as the company grows — founders often try to scale by increasing effort rather than adapting strategy, leading to diminishing returns. Another challenge is leadership communication breakdowns, causing misalignment between sales and marketing at larger sizes. Lastly, growth often lacks dedicated management, resulting in reactive decision-making. Recognizing these issues is crucial; each growth phase requires transforming both the company