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Last updated on Feb 6, 2025
  1. All
  2. Business Administration
  3. Startup Development

Scaling your startup operations is tough. How do you keep stakeholders happy along the way?

As you scale your startup, maintaining stakeholder happiness is crucial. To navigate this challenge:

  • Transparent reporting: Regularly update stakeholders on progress and setbacks.

  • Involve them in decisions: Seek their input on major strategic moves.

  • Align expectations: Set realistic goals and communicate these clearly to avoid misunderstandings.

How do you maintain strong relationships with stakeholders during scaling?

Startup Development Startup Development

Startup Development

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Last updated on Feb 6, 2025
  1. All
  2. Business Administration
  3. Startup Development

Scaling your startup operations is tough. How do you keep stakeholders happy along the way?

As you scale your startup, maintaining stakeholder happiness is crucial. To navigate this challenge:

  • Transparent reporting: Regularly update stakeholders on progress and setbacks.

  • Involve them in decisions: Seek their input on major strategic moves.

  • Align expectations: Set realistic goals and communicate these clearly to avoid misunderstandings.

How do you maintain strong relationships with stakeholders during scaling?

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Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
21 answers
  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Henrique Tiago de Castro

    COO Estoril Living | Lifestyle Hospitality Expert | Openings & Operations Experience (Ex Ennismore, Accor & IHG) | Speaker

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    Scaling operations in hospitality is challenging, but keeping stakeholders happy requires clear communication, trust, and alignment. Start by understanding stakeholder needs—owners, investors, employees, and guests—and ensure regular updates on progress and challenges. Balance short-term wins with long-term vision while leveraging technology to streamline operations. Prioritize guest satisfaction through personalized experiences and sustainable practices that benefit local communities. Build trust by delivering on promises and fostering collaboration. Transparency, adaptability, and a focus on value creation are key to maintaining stakeholder confidence during growth.

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    6
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    Marco Crimi

    Founder @VIVON 4.0

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    As per my startup experience, keeping stakeholders happy while scaling relies on two pillars: clear communication and aligned goals to deliver heavy value. Keep stakeholders aware of the improvements and issues with regular updates and feedback loops, involving them in key decisions to create what I call the "circle of truth"—a bond stronger than trust. Prioritize customer satisfaction by delivering high-quality, value-packed products, which also reassure investors. Share the startup’s core values and culture to foster a sense of belonging, and implement scalable processes with technology to handle growth efficiently. Balancing these elements should help to maintain strong stakeholder relationships while scaling successfully.

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    3
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    Contributor profile photo
    Otlile Sekoaila

    MARKETING TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE @Punch! | SPEAKER | SAP CERTIFIED CONSULTANT| CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    • Report contribution

    Scaling a startup up is challenging, but maintaining stakeholder satisfaction is crucial. Prioritise transparent and regular communication to keep stakeholders informed about progress and challenges. Actively seeking their feedback to ensure their perspectives are considered. Clearly define objectives and manage expectations to align with achievable outcomes. By fostering trust and collaboration , you can keep stakeholders engaged and supportive throughout the scaling process

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    2
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    Contributor profile photo
    Atalanta Banerjee

    Director Change Management & Transformation | Expert in driving Digital & HR Transformations, Process Optimization, and Strategic change across banking, retail, consulting, and SaaS for sustainable growth

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    Scaling a startup is like building a plane while flying it—stakeholders expect growth, but also stability. Clear communication is key. Set realistic expectations, provide regular updates, and be transparent about challenges. Investors want ROI, so show traction and a solid strategy. Employees need clarity on roles and career paths, so invest in culture and leadership. Customers expect consistency, so maintain service quality. Recognize and celebrate small wins to keep morale high and momentum strong. Prioritize sustainable scaling over reckless expansion and align all decisions with long-term value. Keep stakeholders engaged, informed, and confident in your vision.

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    1
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    Liubov Vakhitova

    Project Manager | Lead Business Analyst | SAFe® 6 Agilist | Mentor Women in Tech | Coach

    • Report contribution

    Scaling a startup is always a balance between growth and expectations. In addition to transparent communication and stakeholder involvement, regular Q&A sessions with key partners can be highly effective. This not only keeps them informed but also allows for quick responses to potential risks. Implementing a feedback system, such as short surveys or one-on-one meetings, can also help maintain trust.

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    1
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    Contributor profile photo
    Rui Magro Correia

    Strategic Marketing & Business Development | Driving Growth and Innovation in Hospitality & Wine

    • Report contribution

    In hospitality, many stakeholders drive success, but staff are key. Their motivation directly impacts guest satisfaction, leading to great reviews, repeat visits, and word-of-mouth recommendations. Scaling a startup is exciting, but keeping stakeholders engaged—especially frontline employees—is crucial. They shape guest experiences daily. To strengthen relationships while scaling: ✔ Transparency – Keep staff informed to build trust. ✔ Involvement – Value their input; they know what guests appreciate. ✔ Expectation alignment – Set clear goals to ensure engagement. Happy, motivated teams create loyal guests and business growth. On the other hand, demotivated staff can lead to toxic environments, unhappy guests, and negative reviews.

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    1
  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Dr. Ahmed AlAali - A Forwardpreneure

    ★ CEO & Change Agent - Business Architect - Strategic Growth Leader ★ COO ★ Board Advisor ★ Forwardpreneoure ★ From entrepreneurship to scalable growth:& governance's role in sustaining expansion in high growth companies

    • Report contribution

    To keep stakeholders happy while scaling, I focus on clear and regular communication. I share updates on progress, challenges, and how we plan to overcome them. I make sure they understand the long-term vision and how each step contributes to growth. By managing expectations and involving them in key decisions, I build trust and keep them engaged in the journey. #ahmedalaali11

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Abhishek Sengupta

    Entrepreneur, Author, Podcaster | Founder & Director at Onze Voyagez HotelTravelia Pvt Ltd

    • Report contribution

    Maintaining stakeholder satisfaction throughout scaling calls for openness, strategic expansion, and constant communication. This was achieved by Airbnb through responsible scaling, iteration based on customer feedback, and keeping solid investor connections. Regular performance updates, local market adaptation, and high-quality service were all part of their expansion strategy. Additionally, they maintained staff engagement through a well-defined objective and organized internal procedures. Clear expectations, proactive problem-solving, and showcasing long-term progress through important KPIs are crucial for companies. Trust and support are guaranteed throughout the scaling process when stakeholder interests are in line.

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  • Contributor profile photo
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    James Bardi

    DevOps Engineer | Terraform & CI/CD Expert | Workflow & Automation Specialist | Airtable, Zapier, Monday.com, HubSpot | Virtual Assistance & Passionate About Building Secure, Scalable Solutions

    • Report contribution

    In my experience, as an DevSecOps Engineer, scaling your startup operations is tough, but ensuring stakeholder satisfaction comes down to Proactive Communication – Keeping stakeholders informed about progress, challenges, and solutions fosters trust and alignment.

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    Brian Benitez

    Product Design & Brand Strategy | Work has helped raise $1B+ | Clients: NYT, Adobe, Atom Limbs, QSC

    • Report contribution

    Growth exposes cracks. The bigger you get, the louder stakeholders become—everyone has an opinion, but few understand the trenches. The solution isn’t just transparency, it’s control. --> Keep updates brief but valuable—fluff kills credibility. --> Involve stakeholders when it matters, not at every turn. --> Set realistic expectations—because nothing breeds disappointment like an overpromise. You can’t keep everyone happy. But you can keep them aligned—so they trust you even when things aren’t perfect.

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