Why hustle won’t scale

A tactical masterclass on replacing hustle with systems to scale go-to-market.

TL;DR

Anna Baird lays out an operating system for founders: build a clear “rhythm of the business” with goals, KPIs, and cadenced reviews; kill silos through intentional relationship‑building; stay maniacally focused on the core customer pain; and stop doing one‑off custom deals that derail product and drain resources. Trust leaders, verify with dashboards, and take calculated risks to grow. ​⁠

Key Points

• Focus beats frenzy: Fire drills and shiny objects don’t scale; align work to goals and measure monthly with agreed KPIs and milestones. ​⁠
• Operating rhythm: Define strategies per company priority, review weekly/bi‑weekly/monthly, and use dashboards so CEOs don’t micromanage. ​⁠
• Relationship Bank: Proactively “deposit” cross‑team relationships so you have trust when you need to say no or ask for help. ​⁠
• Custom deals trap: Big‑logo one‑offs consume all resources and create endless “mouse & cookie” requests; say no even to tempting single‑shot money. ​⁠
• Trust, then verify: Give leaders rope, require transparent metrics; transition people when company outgrows their competency. Hire slow, fire fast. ​⁠
• Budget vs intellectual buy‑in: Validate urgency and willingness to pay, not just “cool idea” feedback. ​⁠
• Vision vs market: Build for the core workflow and pain customers will pay for; revenue and funding follow focus. ​⁠
• AI reality: Keep one eye on customer pain and one on fast‑moving tech to avoid getting disrupted; incorporate new capabilities quickly. ​⁠
• Risk matters: Growth requires stepping outside comfort; recent conservatism is stalling companies—take calculated risks to advance.

Memorable Lines

• “Fire drills do not scale. Shiny objects don’t scale.” ​⁠
• “Your relationships are a bank—make deposits before withdrawals.” ​⁠
• “Don’t take the big money that’s just once.” ​⁠