You Can Start the Business — But Can You Scale It?

You Can Start the Business — But Can You Scale It?
By Eddie Mugulusi

Let’s talk about something we don’t hear enough.

Starting a business is one thing.
Scaling it?
Whole different beast.

And yet, most people pour their energy (and savings) into just starting.
They find the capital.
Buy the equipment.
Set up shop.
Open an Instagram page.
And boom — we’re in business.

But here’s the problem:

They never stop to ask the most important question of all…

“How will this thing grow?”

The Truth Most People Realize Too Late

Starting is exciting.
It makes you feel bold, brave, visionary.
But growth — that requires strategy.
Foresight.
A deeper understanding of the real cost of success.

Many business owners get stuck not because they lack effort — but because they didn’t think past the first phase.

They built a business that works…
…but only when they’re there, every single day.
…or only with one location.
…or only when one machine is running.

That’s not a business.
That’s a glorified job.

Let Me Paint You a Picture

Back when I ran a photography business, I figured this out early.

We were getting booked for weddings every weekend.
Sometimes even three weddings on the same day.

Did I run to buy more cameras, more lenses, more lights?

Nope. I hired everything.
The equipment.
The tripods.
Even the photographers.

Why?
Because scaling didn’t have to mean owning more gear — it just meant accessing it.

That decision saved us millions — and helped us grow fast without getting stuck in debt or overhead.

But Not Every Business Scales Like That

Now let’s talk about manufacturing.

Let’s say you’re making peanut butter.

You’re producing 20 jars a day using a small grinder in your backyard.

Great. But then demand grows. Nakawa market wants more. A supermarket calls.
Suddenly you need to produce 200 jars a day.

Guess what?

No one is hiring out peanut grinders by the hour.

To scale, you need serious machinery.
Big money.
Power.
Storage.
Quality control.
Logistics.

This is the moment people freeze — or worse, force their business to grow without the foundation to sustain it.

That’s how small businesses collapse under big opportunity.

Here’s the Point: You Need to Think Ahead

Before you start your business — or even if you’ve already started — ask:

• How does this business scale?

• Can I grow it without choking my cash flow?

• Will I need more people, more locations, or more capital?

• Is the industry even built for fast scaling?

• Are there creative ways to grow without owning everything?

Because it’s one thing to dream of big profits.
It’s another to be prepared for the complexity that comes with them.

Let’s Land This Plane

Starting a business is exciting — but it’s just the first chapter.

If you want to build something that lasts, you’ve got to see beyond launch day.

You’ve got to ask:

“What does growth actually look like for this business?”

And more importantly:

“What will it cost me — and am I ready for that?”

Because if you’re not planning for scale, you’re not building a business.
You’re just renting a hustle.