Why ‘Figuring It Out Later’ Stalls Scaling, According to Nick Bell 🔔

In a recent LinkedIn post, Nick Bell 🔔 discusses a common pitfall for founders that can hinder business growth: the tendency to defer decisions and problem-solving. Bell argues that while a “scrappy” approach may be effective in the early stages of a startup, it becomes a significant roadblock as the business scales.

Bell highlights the critical juncture where this mindset shifts from an asset to a liability. He points out that the approach that works for a business at the $1 million revenue mark can lead to stagnation when a company reaches $3-5 million in revenue. This common deferral tactic, he suggests, can trap founders in a cycle of recurring issues and operational bottlenecks.

How many times have you told your team, “we’ll figure it out later”? This is a dangerous term for founders that are serious about scaling their businesses.

The Danger of Deferral in Scaling

According to Nick Bell 🔔, the phrase “we’ll figure it out later” is more than just a casual remark; it represents a potentially damaging operational strategy for ambitious founders. He posits that at the early stage of a startup, often around the $1 million revenue mark, agility and adaptability are key. This “scrappy” approach, characterized by quick, often informal, problem-solving, can be highly effective in navigating the uncertainties of a nascent business.

However, Bell emphasizes that this same strategy becomes a significant impediment to growth beyond a certain point. As businesses mature and aim for higher revenue targets, such as $3-5 million, the lack of defined processes and proactive decision-making leads to persistent operational challenges. Bell describes this state vividly:

At $1M, scrappy wins. At $3–5M, it becomes the reason you’re stuck. Same fires every week. Every decision on your desk. Nothing moves without you.

Structure as an Enabler of Speed

Bell challenges the common perception that introducing structure into a business equates to stifling bureaucracy. Instead, he advocates for a view where structure is a tool that enables greater speed and efficiency. By implementing clear processes and decision-making frameworks, founders can actually reclaim valuable time and accelerate progress.

He argues that the chaos described – recurring fires, decisions bottlenecking at the founder’s desk, and a general lack of forward momentum without the founder’s direct involvement – is a direct consequence of avoiding the necessary organizational development. Bell’s core message is that formalizing operations is not about adding red tape; it’s about building a scalable foundation.

The Trade-off: Deferral vs. Scalability

Nick Bell 🔔’s insights point to a critical trade-off founders face. The immediate relief gained from deferring a problem or decision, while seemingly efficient in the short term, creates a long-term drag on the business. As he notes, this pattern leads to a situation where the founder becomes the primary bottleneck, unable to delegate or scale because the underlying systems are not in place to support it.

The solution, according to Bell, lies in proactively building structure. He concludes his post by stating:

Structure isn’t bureaucracy. It’s how you buy speed back.

This perspective reframes operational development not as a burdensome administrative task, but as a strategic imperative for achieving sustainable growth and maintaining momentum as a business scales.