Startups sometimes feel the need to emulate corporates. This usually happens when working with enterprise clients or hiring people from corporate backgrounds. The logic seems sound — big companies are established and credible— but the reality is different: adopting corporate mannerisms kills the agility and speed startups need to succeed.

We saw this firsthand with a fintech client. Their enterprise clients worked in rigid, waterfall-like structures, so the startup mirrored that internally. Progress slowed to a crawl as they got bogged down in endless processes and strict hierarchies. Deadlines slipped, frustration grew, and ironically, their clients were no happier with the results. The startup had traded agility for formality, and it wasn’t working.

A similar issue arose during a recent audit of a 15-person team that was sourcing most of its employees from corporate environments. These hires brought the habits they were used to: layers of approvals, endless meetings, and rigid workflows. The processes weren’t inherently bad — but they didn’t fit the size or pace of a startup. The result? The process had become more important than the progress, strangling the team’s ability to move quickly.

These problems often stem from a misunderstanding. Startups think they must “talk corporate” to impress clients or that corporate processes are inherently better. You can polish your external communication to match client expectations while keeping your internal culture fast and flexible.

Startups exist to move quickly, experiment, and adapt. Processes are important only if they fit your size and serve your goals. When things start to feel slow, it’s a sign that you’ve gone too far. Corporates already exist—you don’t need to become one.