Why We Only Talk about Startups at FEA?

The purpose of F.E.A., as has been sufficiently told, is to study and discuss multinational and local start-up firms and corporations. Although we have discussed mostly established firms, nonetheless we narrowed down our focus to their initial days. But, it would be better that we study and discuss non-established firms and enterprises alone. The reason for it shall partially be explained in the following lines.

Having said enough about our aim, that we study and discuss start-up businesses and dislike going into the later (and more glorious) periods of the established firms and industries (firms don't produce, whereas industries do), the question arises, as we've been questioned as to why we narrow down our focus on the start-up days of the firm?

If I am allowed to write in more detail, I'd only mention one point in favor of the criticism against FEA's paradigm just mentioned. An entrepreneur's genius doesn't lie merely in his successful launch of the venture. Much more difficult challenges are to be faced after the successful launch. Growth, the point I want to raise, is such a big issue and challenge to be dealt with. Growth means not just profit - but a whole series of new challenges and problems before the entrepreneur.
The genius of successful entrepreneurs like Micheal Dell, Steve Jobs, Bill gates, Richard Branson (Virgin group), Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines), who "actively guided their ventures successfully through the years of growth", lies in their adaptive capacity to deal with change, and change is always 'actively' resisted than embraced. Starting up is only a part of the picture.

Our answer in defense to the paradigm we're following is, for the sake of clarity and much more:

1. Learn how to write on the clean slate first, then talk about dealing with change and growth. The biggest advantage of starting a business to the entrepreneur is that he has this clean slate before him on which he can draw and design the organizational structure the way he likes and thinks to be fit. By knowing the art of starting up will give that practical knowledge of how to write and design, in the first place.

2. Learn the essentials first. This includes, to name the two most essential elements of a business enterprise, 'business model' and 'business strategy'. No matter how much growth your firm may have, these two things are only immutable.

3. Keep things simple, don't exhaust them. Learning about change management and growth is no doubt a fundamental aspect of doing business, only baby steps will lead you to think of these things. Keeping things simple will make you more practical and give you more clarity where to start from and where to head.


I believe there are much, much more advantages in gaining expertise about start-ups at this stage than I can imagine. Please give us your feedback and share your insights.