YES, YOUR SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS TO PROFESSIONALIZE
And no, that doesn’t mean turning it into a soul-sucking corporate monster.
PROFESSIONAL ≠ CORPORATE: WHY YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS STANDARDS
As a fractional COO working with businesses under $5M revenue, I see the pattern often: founders bring in friends, family, or casual hires to help. At first, it works. Revenue grows. The dream team is by your side.
But it’s messy. Boundaries blur. Performance conversations feel impossible. And when you hit $1M+ in revenue, scaling should be easier—but without operational infrastructure, it’s chaos:
Staff unclear on roles
Team working outside their strengths
No systems for project management or communication
Founder stuck managing problems instead of running the business
When I suggest job descriptions, onboarding, SOPs, contracts, or communication norms, the pushback is always the same:
“We don’t want to be too corporate.”
I get it. I hate corporate too. But there’s a huge difference between “too corporate” and being professional.
WHY FOUNDERS RESIST PROFESSIONALISM
It feels more fun to play fast and loose
No job descriptions, no processes, no boundaries—it’s “light” work.We’ve all been burned by corporate
Layoffs, endless pointless meetings, employee manuals no one reads, five layers of approval to change a font.
But here’s the reality: your business still exists in capitalism. Rent, payroll, and profitability matter. Running your business like a group project might feel scrappy, but it’s costing you time, money, and opportunity.
THE TALENT TRAP
Refusing to professionalise drives away your best people.
A-players want clarity, boundaries, and accountability.
Underperformers stay because there are no standards.
Result: top talent leaves, headaches remain, and the cost adds up. Gallup estimates turnover costs 50–200% of a salary. Multiple departures? You’re bleeding money.
Research shows professionalism pays. Amy Edmondson at Harvard found that psychological safety—asking questions, admitting mistakes, giving pushback—correlates directly with team performance. Safety comes from clarity and standards, not “family vibes.”
THE FAMILY BUSINESS CAVEAT
Family and friend-run businesses can work—but only with professionalism.
Clear expectations
Accountability and performance metrics
Honest conversations
Friendship or family ties cannot replace structure. Without guardrails, relationships and business performance both suffer.
HOW TO PROFESSIONALISE WITHOUT GOING CORPORATE
Start small:
Job descriptions: Clear roles and success metrics, not laundry lists
Contracts: Scope, pay, expectations in writing
Onboarding: Set people up to succeed
Document processes: Save time, reduce mistakes
Communication norms: Clarify how and where decisions happen
Boundaries: Keep work relationships healthy while staying yourself
If you’re already deep in blurred-boundary land, reset expectations. Define roles. Be honest about performance. Support transitions if someone isn’t right for the role.
THE TAKEAWAY
Professionalism is not corporate cosplay. It’s the scaffolding that keeps your business alive.
Avoid it for “fun” or because of corporate trauma? Ask yourself: what’s more corporate than dysfunction, burnout, and turnover?
Professionalism = building a real business. Fun group project with friends = expensive lessons you don’t want to learn.
WEEKLY Q&A
Q: I hired my best friend. It was fun at first, but now boundaries are blurry and performance isn’t where it should be. How do I handle this without wrecking the friendship?
A: This is classic. You need professional guardrails.
Name the truth: “We jumped in without clear expectations—let’s reset.”
Write a job description. Define success, pay, scope, responsibilities.
Be honest about fit. If it’s not the right role, support them in transitioning.
Clear expectations protect both friendship and business. Boundaries are kind. Professionalism is the way forward.
💛 MA
WORK WITH ME
Keep building the version of work that actually works for you. I’ll be cheering (and occasionally nudging).
Until next time,
Mary Alice
