What Startups Need to Learn from Fortune 500 Playbooks (and What They Shouldn't)

Published: January 20, 2026 Entrepreneur
What Startups Need to Learn from Fortune 500 Playbooks (and What They Shouldn't)

What Startups Should (and Shouldn't) Steal from Big Corp Playbooks

As a business owner, I see too many startups either ignoring enterprise discipline entirely or getting crushed by it. The real trick is selective theft. Borrow their operational rigor—solid financial controls, clear KPIs, and documented processes. This isn't bureaucracy; it's the foundation that lets you scale without chaos.

But leave their inertia at the door. Ditch the multi-layer approval cycles and risk-averse committees that stifle innovation. Your agility is your unfair advantage. Use big-company structure to enable speed, not to replace it. That's how you build something lasting without becoming what you're trying to disrupt.

Source: Entrepreneur
Published: January 20, 2026