Here’s the pattern. A new entrepreneur admires a business that’s been around for 10–15 years. It looks polished, stable, and profitable.
So instead of starting small, they launch a business that looks like the established one:
- Fancy branding and expensive décor
- A large, flashy space
- High startup costs before proving the model
On the outside, it looks like a mature company. But on the inside, it’s still a baby—with no systems, no resilience, and no experience.
This is what I call an adult baby business. And most of them don’t survive.
A Real Example: SPAN Medicare’s Slow but Strong Growth
Back in 2011, I lived in Kisaasi, a growing suburb of Kampala. I got sick and ended up in a tiny healthcare center called SPAN Medicare.
At the time, it was very basic:
- One big room with six beds
- Curtains as dividers
- A few nurses and one doctor
- Only essential treatments
If you judged it by appearances, you’d dismiss it instantly. But here’s the beauty of long-term business growth:
Over the next 14 years, I watched SPAN expand steadily. Today it’s a multi-floor facility offering:
- Antenatal clinics
- Minor surgeries
- Dentistry and pediatrics
- Private rooms and evening clinics
SPAN didn’t try to be an “adult” at birth. It grew step by step, and that’s why it’s thriving today.
Why Respecting Business Stages Matters
Being good at a skill doesn’t make you a good business owner.
- A great doctor isn’t automatically a great hospital manager.
- A talented tailor isn’t instantly a fashion brand mogul.
- A skilled cook isn’t automatically a restaurant CEO.
You need to go through the entrepreneurship learning curve. Skipping it means skipping crucial lessons, like:
- Discovering your true customer base
- Learning what they really want
- Managing bills, staff, and suppliers
- Surviving after the hype fades
Business adulting takes years of mistakes, adjustments, and resilience. Without that, “adult baby” businesses collapse.
What If You Have to Start Big?
Some entrepreneurs have the resources to launch with a large setup. That’s fine—if done wisely.
Here’s the key: bring in experienced business advisors early. Don’t wait until after the investment. Involve them in planning, strategy, and execution.
Otherwise, you risk creating a beautiful, expensive… business corpse.
Business Adulting: Crawl Before You Run
Every business must grow through stages:
- Crawling (learning and survival)
- Walking (stability and small wins)
- Running (scaling and expansion)
- Mature adult (market leader and authority)
Skipping stages creates fragile businesses. Respecting them creates sustainable ones.
So ask yourself: Am I building a baby ready to grow—or giving birth to an adult baby that won’t survive?
Final Thoughts: Build Smart, Grow Strong
The ugly truth about business growth is that there are no shortcuts. Sustainable success in entrepreneurship comes from respecting the process, not skipping it.
Dream big, yes—but build patiently. Learn your customers, strengthen your systems, and grow step by step. That’s how businesses survive long enough to dominate.
Unlock your true potential 