Corporates Have Time. You Don’t.

One of the first things I had to unlearn when I moved from a corporate role to building a startup was how differently we think about time.

In a large company, timelines are measured in quarters. Nobody panics if something slips a few weeks — or even months. In a startup, a few weeks can mean the difference between closing a deal… or running out of cash.

I learned this the hard way when we submitted a proposal to a corporate partner. They said, “This looks great, we’ll get back to you soon.” Six weeks later: still no answer. And when I finally followed up, I realized the decision hadn’t even been discussed yet.

It wasn’t personal — it just wasn’t urgent for them.

That’s when it hit me:

👉 You have to create urgency. They won’t do it for you.

Here’s what helped me manage the mismatch:

✅ Give clear, time-bound asks — e.g., “Can we get feedback by next Friday so we can stay on track for a potential Q3 pilot?”

✅ Anchor your timeline in their goals — e.g., “You mentioned wanting results for your budget planning — here’s how we align.”

✅ Stay top of mind without being annoying — a short update every 10–14 days can keep things moving

✅ Have alternatives ready — e.g., parallel discussions or smaller scopes to maintain momentum

💡 In short: it’s your job to move things forward. Their clock just ticks differently.

💬 Struggling to maintain momentum with a corporate partner?

Let’s talk. I’ve helped startups shift the pace — without burning bridges.