A Brief Field Guide to Startup Systems (Observed in the Wild)

Read in the voice of a David Attenborough wannabe...

For over 14 years now, I have been quietly observing startup systems in their natural habitat.

I do not intervene. I do not ask questions. I simply watch. (Ok, ok, I intervene a lil bit.)

What follows is not a judgment, nor a prescription. It is a field guide. An attempt to document the most commonly observed systems as they appear in early-stage companies, usually under mild stress.

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The Founder Brain

Habitat: Everywhere
Primary function: Knowing everything

This system is remarkably efficient. It contains historical context, customer nuance, pricing logic, and the answer to any question asked in Slack within seconds.

It does not scale.

When the Founder Brain is unavailable, the organization experiences confusion, repeat questions, and a temporary belief that “no one else knows how this works,” which is technically true. BEWARE THIS COMMON SPECIES.

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The Slack Thread That Became a Process

Habitat: Buried
Primary function: Reference material

This system emerges during moments of urgency. A decision is made. Someone says, “Let’s just do this for now.”

Months later, it is cited often. No one can find it.

Attempts to relocate the thread usually result in the creation of a new Slack thread explaining what the original one said.

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The Spreadsheet That Knows Everything

Habitat: One person’s laptop
Primary function: Holding the truth

This system is trusted. Revered, even.

It contains numbers that do not appear anywhere else. Its formulas are complex. Its owner says things like, “Just don’t touch that cell.”

When the owner goes on vacation, the business pauses.

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The CRM Everyone Promised to Use

Habitat: Open, but quiet
Primary function: Symbolism

This system represents hope.

At launch, it is configured carefully. There is training. There are rules.

Slowly, data begins to drift. Fields go unfilled. Stages become suggestions.

Leadership continues to reference the dashboard while quietly relying on gut instinct.

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The Notion Page No One Opens

Habitat: The sidebar
Primary function: Emotional reassurance

This system exists so everyone can say, “It’s documented.”

It is beautifully structured. It has toggles. (Gosh, I love a toggle.)

New hires do not know it exists. Existing employees forget to check it. Everyone agrees it was a good idea.

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The Weekly Meeting That Contains All Decisions

Habitat: Calendar
Primary function: Alignment

This system meets regularly.

Important topics are raised. Decisions are made. Action items are discussed.

Next week, the same topics appear again, because no one remembers where the decisions were written down.

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The System of Asking “Who Knows This?”

Habitat: Slack, hallways, group chats, and beyond
Primary function: Discovery

This is the most social system.

It works well at small scale. It creates bonding. It makes people feel needed.

Over time, it becomes the primary reason the same questions are asked repeatedly.

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Notes from the Field

If you’ve been here awhile, you know I joke. You have to make light of the ridiculousness sometimes, but truly none of these systems are signs of incompetence. They are signs of growth.

They appear when a company is moving faster than its memory. When good intentions outpace shared clarity. When everyone is doing their best and still stepping on the same rake. (Yes, I am a Simpsons fan.)

Most organizations actually need fewer of systems, named clearly, owned by someone, and placed somewhere people actually look.

Until then, the wildlife persists. See you in the jungle.