Originally published on LinkedIn (reformatted for zahradnik.io / Medium)
Modern startups often feel soulless.
They begin with bold declarations — “we’ll change the world,” “we’ll make a dent in the universe.” But once growth accelerates, the story changes.
Users become numbers.
Everything revolves around metrics:
- burn rate,
- ROI,
- customer acquisition costs.
And if the company is VC-funded, the founder’s real job is no longer to build — it’s to manage investor expectations.
Startups stop being built for impact.
They’re built for exit.
I believe this model is broken.
Call me old-fashioned, but I want to measure success by something simpler:
How many people stay.
If someone works with me for ten years or more, that is success —
not valuation, not speed, not vanity metrics.
I’d rather grow slowly — or stay intentionally small — than build another hollow corporation driven by pitch decks and pressure.
No boardrooms.
No politics.
No smiling faces hiding burnout.
Just real work.
Real loyalty.
Real legacy.
