The Endeavor Scale-Up program changed how I think about growing a company. When I was a senior in high school, I started my first business. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive the support and encouragement to be an entrepreneur. Instead, I was encouraged to be a chemical engineer and stay on the path that had been planned out for me.
I vowed to one day create an entrepreneur institute to help educate and support early-stage entrepreneurs—so that people like me had a place to turn to. Little did I know, this year over a nice bourbon, my mentor Stacy Griggs would inform me that an organization already exists to do just that. Thank you, Stacy, for the introduction and the encouragement to take part in one of Endeavor’s programs.
Graduating From the Endeavor Scale-Up Program
I had a great time pitching at Endeavor Midwest’s Scale Up Acceleration Panel last week. This was the “graduation” of the five-month program I just completed. We connected with and got feedback from various founders and panelists from the Endeavor network. Thanks to White Clay for hosting a happy hour to close the program.
I’m so thankful and grateful for the opportunity to take part in the Scale Up program from Endeavor (KY, OH, IN)—a special shout-out to Jake Budler, Tim Barr Jr., and Raechele Smalls. Without you, the mentors, connections, and invaluable learning would not have been possible. Jackson Andrews runs an amazing chapter of this great organization, and I highly recommend all entrepreneurs check them out.
You can learn more about the global nonprofit behind it at Endeavor.org, which supports high-impact entrepreneurs around the world.
What the Endeavor Scale-Up Program Actually Teaches
Most founders are great at starting things. Scaling them is a completely different game. The early days reward hustle, scrappiness, and doing everything yourself. But the same instincts that get a company off the ground can quietly cap its growth later. That’s the gap a program like this is built to close.
Over five months, the focus shifts away from chasing the next sale and toward building the machine that makes sales repeatable. You learn to think in systems, not heroics—and to ask harder questions about where the business is actually headed.
- Systems over heroics — Replace founder firefighting with repeatable processes a team can run.
- Hiring and delegation — Learn to hire ahead of growth and hand off the work that’s holding you back.
- Cash flow discipline — Manage the financial strain that growth creates before it manages you.
- Network leverage — Tap into mentors, panelists, and fellow founders who’ve already solved your next problem.
Why Scaling Up Is Harder Than Starting Up
Starting a company is about finding product-market fit—proving someone will pay for what you make. Scaling is about everything that comes after: building a team, creating systems, and growing without breaking what made the business special in the first place.
The hardest part is that the founder often becomes the bottleneck. Every decision, every approval, every fire runs through one person. Scaling forces you to let go—to trust a team, document a process, and step out of the day-to-day so the company can grow beyond your own bandwidth. That mindset shift is exactly what I now coach entrepreneurs through, and it’s a thread you’ll find in what it took to become successful.
Where This Took Carroll Media
I can’t wait to see where this new training, information, and knowledge helps me take Carroll Media. The lessons from the Endeavor Scale-Up program have shaped how we’ve grown the company into an advertising technology business—and how we built Alli, our platform that helps small businesses automate customer communication so their owners can stop being the bottleneck. If you want the deeper version of this story, hear my conversation on The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast.
#HustleItsWorthIt #entrepreneurs #founders #Endeavor
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Endeavor Scale-Up program?
The Endeavor Scale-Up program is an accelerator for high-growth entrepreneurs to develop skills, expand networks, and accelerate business growth through mentorship and peer learning. It is run by Endeavor, a global nonprofit supporting high-impact founders.
How does scaling up differ from starting up?
Scaling up focuses on systems, team building, and sustainable growth rather than product-market fit. It requires different skills than launching: delegation, process creation, and strategic thinking so the founder doesn’t become the bottleneck.
What challenges do scale-up companies face?
Scale-up challenges include maintaining culture, hiring the right people, developing repeatable systems, managing cash flow during growth, and ensuring the founder doesn’t become the bottleneck as the team expands.
How long is the Endeavor Scale-Up program?
The Endeavor Midwest Scale-Up program DJ Carroll completed ran for five months, ending with a Scale Up Acceleration Panel where founders pitch and receive feedback from the Endeavor network of mentors and panelists.
Who should apply to the Endeavor Scale-Up program?
Founders of high-growth companies past the early startup stage who are ready to build systems, scale a team, and expand their network should consider the program. It is best suited for entrepreneurs focused on sustainable, repeatable growth.
