EP19: Two Types of People

“A business needs two types of people to achieve a mass scale without everything going all crazy - the starter and the scaler.”

Timothy Dick (00:55-1:20)

There are two archetypes necessary to scale a business to a high seven or eight figures. While it’s possible to build a business to a certain point with only one type - whether that’s one person or multiple people of one type - to achieve mass scale without the overwhelm and headache, a business needs both types.

Type One: The Starter 

Most entrepreneurs and visionaries are Starters who have created things that never existed before. Starters do a lot of “ready, fire, aim.” They’re involved in market sell. They test, test, test. 

But after a while, entropy sets in. While testing and trying a million new things, a Starter can be in danger of losing control on the backend of the business.

Type Two: The Scaler

A Scaler (or Operator ) is typically either a CEO or COO who manhandles the day-to-day operations of the business. Because they’re addressing the nitty-gritty details on a daily basis, they’re able to make tiny little tweaks that move the business forward.

“The Scaler has the ability to just make a little tweak and make end-over-end growth. But they need the momentum that the Starter is creating.”  -Nic Peterson (3:11-3:21)

The Benefits of Having Both Types

When an entrepreneur who is a Starter wants to double their business, they have to create twice as much stuff and do double the work

On the other hand, while a Scaler has the ability to make one little tweak and create end-over-end growth, they lack the momentum that the Starter creates.

I’ve gone it alone multiple times. I’ve had five companies that reached high six or seven figures. But I eventually wanted to burn them all down because I was trying to play both roles and hated doing the things that a Scaler does. 

After accepting my position as a Starter and operating only in that role while my business partner operates as a Scaler, I now love what I do. Our business and revenue grew, my responsibilities decreased, the headaches left, and I sleep better. 

It’s the best decision I’ve ever made to just play the role of a Starter and allow someone else to be the Scaler. 

“I could be a Scaler. I have the ability to learn that. But it would come at the expense of my strength.”  - Nic Peterson (3:34-3:41)

Know Which You Are

The best thing you can do right now is to determine if you are a Starter or a Scaler. Which one is your strength? If you’ve started your own business, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a Starter. You could potentially be an Operator/Scaler. 

Do you like to ready, fire, aim? Do you like to create and test stuff? Then you might be a Starter. 

Or do you prefer maintaining a slow, methodical control of the business as you