The Weight of Growth: What a Tree in Kanazawa Taught Me About Scaling a Startup
- rebeccajohnson18
- Oct 30
- 2 min read
This photo was taken in Kenroku-en Garden in Kanazawa, Japan.
The tree’s sprawling branches are supported by an intricate system of wooden posts — each placed with care to carry weight, balance tension, and prevent collapse.
At first glance, it looks excessive — almost fragile.
This isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.
The Paradox of Growth in Tech
Startups love speed.
We celebrate agility, hustle, and the ability to “move fast and break things.”
In reality, unchecked growth can cause branches to crack. As teams expand, communication slows, alignment drifts, and culture starts to strain under the weight of success.
Without intentional supports — structure, clarity, and connection, the very growth that once felt exhilarating becomes the source of instability
The Hidden Infrastructure of Sustainable Scale
Just like the tree in Kanazawa, healthy startups build scaffolding that allows for growth without breaking.
That scaffolding doesn’t limit innovation. It preserves it.
In startups, those “support posts” might look like:
Defined roles & responsibilities that clarify ownership as teams grow.
Operating rhythms that maintain alignment and accountability.
Leadership coaching to strengthen emotional intelligence and decision agility.
Clear cultural norms that hold the weight of rapid change.
It’s not glamorous work — just as the wooden posts aren’t flashy. But it’s what allows the organization to stretch outward, resilient and balanced.
Support Systems Don’t Slow You Down — They Keep You Standing
The myth in tech is that structure kills innovation.
In truth, structure sustains it.
Support systems enable creative freedom.
They distribute the weight of scaling so no one leader, founder, or team buckles under pressure.
The most scalable startups I’ve worked with didn’t grow by pushing harder — they grew by building smarter scaffolding.
Reflection for Founders and Leaders
If your startup is scaling fast, pause to ask:
Where are our branches bending under pressure?
What supports (clarity, cadence, communication) could prevent strain before it snaps?
Are we building systems for sustainable growth — or sprinting toward collapse?
From Growth to Grounded: How Dolce Consulting Helps
At Dolce Consulting, we help growth-stage tech companies build the support systems that make scale sustainable — without sacrificing agility or culture.
We partner with founders and executive teams to:
Clarify roles and responsibilities as headcount increases
Establish operating rhythms that keep teams aligned and accountable
Strengthen leadership capacity through coaching and team development
Design team frameworks (like RESPECT) that foster trust and collaboration
True growth isn’t just about expanding — it’s about staying grounded as you reach further.
If your organization is stretching under its own success, let’s talk about how to build the right supports before the weight becomes too heavy to bear.
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