Hyper-growth is usually viewed in corporate settings as nothing more than engineering brilliance and closed-door meetings of corporate boards. In an ideal scenario, we assume that all an entrepreneur needs in order to grow into a multibillion-dollar corporation is enough knowledge of their craft, access to venture capital funding, and a laser-sharp focus on strategy. However, such a fairy tale ignores one brutal truth faced by many startup companies early in their development. Even before a company reaches the stage of being worth several trillion dollars, its management should have learned how to carry out its basic functions. If this does not happen, the company develops a vulnerable structure destined for failure.
Reflecting on what it takes to make a tech superpower around the globe, Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia Corporation, debunked this business myth with a personal anecdote that stands out from the usual Silicon Valley tale. Rather than referring to intricate mathematical equations and sophisticated management concepts, he often credits his meticulous operational rigour to his experience washing dishes in a restaurant kitchen. In contrast to the relentless search for technology-driven automation in the business environment, the key to success for the artificial intelligence company was achieved through an appreciation of process-by-process learning.
