What is a breakout company?

A company that is growing rapidly can be a springboard for your career. Companies of this type have found product market fit and have a GTM model that is clear, and accelerating.

Image (and content) credit to Breakout List

Why should you join a breakout company?

1) Good financial odds

• Most pre-traction startups fail. And stagnant companies may be a long way away from a profitable exit.
• Breakout companies have a reasonably assured financial outcome. The question is less “will there be an exit?” and more “How big will we grow?”
• Having a solid stock option payday can shift your financial trajectory.

2) Get a win on your record

• Startups with an unproven trajectory may end in failure that’s hard to explain or not attractive to future employers.
• Having a well-recognized company on your resume instantly gives you a permanent source of credibility.
• This reputational effect ripples out to affect your access to future opportunities, funding, and networks.

3) Promotion and experience opportunities

• When companies are very early stage, or very late stage the opportunities are limited - or “horizontal.”
• At a breakout company, there are lots of areas to show your skills off and lots of opportunity for promotion.
• In short, you’ll be building lucrative skills, and taking a shortcut to valuable experience.

4) Build a great network

• At late stage companies, the core founding team is buried under layers of employees. At large public companies, the team members may be more risk averse and unambitious. And at pre-traction startups, the odds of failure limit your ability to build a good network.
• At a breakout company, the founding team is accessible and has potential to become part of your permanent tribe. Plus, once there’s an exit, there will be a large group of wealthy, smart, ambitious, skilled people that want to work with you. Learn more about the power of career nodes.

How do you identify breakout companies?

• See Whispered Company Insights to understand company growth rate as well as confidential insights on business models and leadership teams.
• Whispered Premium Members get access to a list of "hot companies" tagged by executives.
• Leverage Linkedin premium insights to see a company's current growth rate. Don't however assume that future growth rate will be the same!;)
• Study who their investors are as their growth motivations can vary.
• Read our article on how to diligence a company.

"It is hard to learn at a company that isn't growing rapidly. Target staying two years, after that the learning typically drops off." Keith Rabois on Turpentine VC podcast

Do you know how to find your next role?