The Hidden Risk of Hypergrowth No One Talks About
How slow, sustainable growth beats aggressive scaling
This is the 227th consecutive post on MrEmogical Notes. If you’ve been following this series and are finding value from this blog/ newsletter, please consider sharing this post with one person who you feel needs to read this for their betterment.
Introduction
Why One Angel Investor Prefers Slow Growth Startups — And You Should Pay Attention
A while ago, I met an angel investor. Curious about his strategy, I asked him a simple question: “Why does your anti-portfolio list have so many names?”
For context — an anti-portfolio is a list of companies an investor could have invested in but chose to pass on. Many times, these companies go on to do well, and it serves as a reminder of missed opportunities.
The Contradictory Yet Brilliant Strategy
While most venture capitalists chase high-speed, aggressive growth, this investor told me something completely different.
He said:
“I don’t look for founders who promise to build a $1 billion business in two years. I look for those who want to build a $1 billion business in twenty.”
Why Speed Isn’t Always Good for Business
According to him, rapid scaling often comes at the cost of stability, culture, and long-term value creation.
When a company grows at a healthy, sustainable pace:
- They focus on building a strong internal culture
- They implement team-friendly and customer-centric policies
- They have the time to make thoughtful, value-driven decisions
- They avoid the pressure of chasing empty valuations
This angel investor firmly believes that speed is often detrimental to long-term growth. And he’s okay with missing out on a few fast-growing, hyped companies if it means protecting his investments and backing ventures that build lasting value.
A Lesson for Founders and Investors Alike
This conversation gave me a simple but powerful insight: Not every great business needs to be built overnight.
Founders who focus on:
- Sustainable growth
- Strong values
- Customer-first strategies
- And a loyal, motivated team
Often, they end up building companies that thrive for decades, not just make a splash and fizzle out.
Final Thoughts
In today’s environment of overnight IPOs and valuation-driven startup stories, it’s refreshing — and wise — to remember that slow, steady, and sustainable still wins the long game.
Maybe it’s time we stop celebrating only the unicorns built in five years, and start noticing the ones quietly creating generational value over ten.
Conclusion
More often than not; most entrepreneurs can’t visualise the process to build and grow a company that will be sustainable a few decades down the road.
Multiple founders today are trying to sprint on the valuation treadmill. If you’re someone who wants to build a company that will become your legacy and need 1:1 consulting to create a customised roadmap for the same, feel free to reach out to me and let’s connect.Your Thoughts!
If you’ve reached till this point of the post, I’m sure you must have some thoughts/ feelings/ opinions about what you’ve just read.
I’m done sharing what’s on my mind, and now is your turn to share your POV.
Tell me how you are processing the information that you’ve just read?
Do you agree with my thoughts?
Do you think I missed something important?
Do you disagree with something in particular?
Let’s continue this conversation (or ask your questions about the post) in the comments below.
Keep Going Keep Growing 🚀
Have I earned your share?
Thank you for reading the full post. Since you read this till the end, it’s safe to assume you found value in the content.
Please consider sharing this post with your audience on social media. You may end up helping someone who’s struggling in their career/ business because they don’t understand the importance of building their personal brand.
I’m sure if you think hard, you will easily come with a few names who you know must read this.
Share this with them, help them and earn your blessings.
Join The ProfitClan
If you’d like to get notes like these on the subject of money mindset, the law of attraction, financial literacy, and a lot more, make sure you subscribe to The ProfitClan.
The ProfitClan is an email newsletter by Paycheck To Profit (founded by Manish Ahuja) where you’d access to daily exclusive newsletters, freebies, notifications of new podcasts episodes when they go live, access to The PROFIT Masterclass, and a lot more.
Prompt used to create the image for the note
P.S.: Image made on Meta AI using the prompt, “Imagine a business owner in their thirties talking to an angel investor in their 60s in middle of a networking event”