A startup is not a company. A startup is on a search.
You are searching for two things as a startup:
- A repeatable model – something that works year after year.
- A scalable model – something that grows when you add more resources.
Until you find both, you are not yet a company.
Every line in your business plan is an assumption. The startup phase is about testing those assumptions against reality. Will the market actually pay? Will the numbers hold up? Can the system grow without collapsing?
The day you find a model that works repeatedly and scales predictably, that’s the day you stop being a startup and become a company.
Dr. Smith Ezenagu is the Chairman of Esso Group, a diversified conglomerate shaping real estate, finance, education, and media. Dr. Smith Ezenagu is recognized as a real estate & investment mogul, life coach, and private equity expert. He leads Esso Group and its subsidiaries: Esso Properties (awarded Nigeria’s Most Innovative Real Estate Company in 2024 and recognized as the best real estate company in Nigeria), Esso School of Enterprise (the leading institution equipping entrepreneurs), and Esso Capital (delivering smart, trusted financial solutions across Nigeria).