Venture-backed startups and innovation-focused companies are often contrasted with the conventional business or corporate workplace settings in three areas. The pace of change and growth is faster. Work scopes are more flexible. The budgets are smaller (relative to the growth being targeted).

For many founders, especially seasoned venture-backed entrepreneurs, such aspects of building a startup are par for the course. But for professionals who are coming from a career in corporate, government, or more conventional business settings, the shift can still cause whiplash, regardless if your expectations are met or not.

The adjustment can be even more challenging if you are joining the startup in an executive or C-level leadership capacity. How do you navigate professional growth in a startup as an executive?

Over the course of the On Call with Insignia podcast, we’ve had on call several non-founding team executives who shared their perspective on joining a fast growing company and taking these businesses to the next level.

We share learnings from some of the leaders who have gone on call with us in Season 6.

(1) Early on, optimize for business goals and growth beyond your role.

Mila Bedrenets had already experienced C-level and executive roles in prior startups as well as banks throughout her marketing and growth career in fintech and banking. In joining Tonik as Chief Growth Hacker, she defined her role less by tasks and more by the goals she needed to help drive for the digital bank, especially in the context of a challenger industry and category-defining business.

“In modern digital, app-first organizations, there is no such hundred percent clear, black-and-white split between what different functions do…because your growth will come from many different details…that will help you eventually reach your business targets.” – Mila Bedrenets, Tonik Chief Growth Hacker

(2) Connect the dots between today’s challenges and yesterday’s successes.

While Cassandra had spent the latter part of her time in IHH interacting with startups like Intellect, working in the fast-growing global mental healthcare provider was different environment altogether. At the same time, she was able to quickly leverage her time spent at IHH to bridge a strategic partnership and provide Intellect’s products and services to all 20,000 employees at IHH, a significant milestone for Intellect in its global expansion journey.

While these full circle moments may not be as obvious for everyone, there is a reason you are in the team for the role you have, and the network, experiences, and skills you have gained throughout your career, long or short, play a large part in that.

“Thinking about why IHH should invest in Intellect, and then explaining to the team…why we should have IHH on board as a strategic investor…building that connection and bridge, and then finally being able…to also provide Intellect to all 20,000 employees across IHH markets…I had been with IHH for 10 years, and to see them embrace this… makes me very proud.” – Cassandra Loh, Intellect VP of Partnerships & Solutions

(3) Drive internal innovation. Take the company beyond its comfort zone.

Nadira joined SuperApp coming from an FMCG background, tasked to unlock innovative revenue streams that would help the social commerce company reach its goals of profitability more effectively. The company had already embarked on developing its private label business when she joined, and she took this business to the forefront of the company’s growth and profitability story. Since she joined, SuperApp now counts 15+ brands in its private label business.

But this has meant going beyond their core focus (as well as her own background) on FMCG, launching and growing brands in F&B or health and beauty. In driving internal innovation, she has also had to go out of her comfort zone.

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is how to grow the market share of each brand. It’s quite different for each product category, whether it’s F&B, FMCG, or health and beauty. We’ve seen great growth through TikTok Shop, but we’re also trying to tap and grow the offline channel for our skincare products, [for example].” – Nadira Zahiruddin, SuperApp VP of Innovation

(4) Being jack-of-all-trades should lead towards maturity and professionalization.

As mentioned in the first learning, startup execs should optimize for company goals as opposed to formal work scopes. But as the company grows and matures, this can no longer be the case for all functions. There are certain areas where departments and focused teams need to be brought in to ensure the company runs more efficiently and executives can focus on internal innovation (the third learning).

Mark Hew experienced this throughout his journey in Fazz, as his Chief of Staff role evolved with the company’s growth, and he has since focused on more specific roles within the company’s various payments businesses.

“It used to be a jack-of-all-trades role…we’ve since professionalized and established a strategy department and an IR function within the finance department. Today I usually gravitate towards situational or crisis management…cross-functional coordination until a clear owner is identified.” – Mark Hew, StraitsX Head of Regional Payments, Fazz Former Chief of Staff

(5) Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and do the job yourself.

For professionals and executives coming from companies with massive spends and organizations, the shift to a working at a startup can be a culture shock in terms of the resources available. An important skill, as Shilpa realized joining AwanTunai from her career in banking, is to be able to take on gaps in the team as the need arises. And more importantly, be able to find the right people to solve these gaps long-term as well.

Taking on these, sometimes menial roles, like filing reports, can be tedious for anyone. This is why Shilpa emphasizes the importance of joining a startup that is meaningful to you personally, and can tap into skills and experience you have.

“I didn’t have my army of analysts and associates in AwanTunai that I used to have in banking…join a startup, which appeals to you and can put your past experience into the right practical use…as finance professionals in startups, it’s not just about the company, but it’s also about the founders, the solid investors, the mission that the startup is looking to bring.” – Shilpa Gautam, AwanTunai CFO