Growth is the dream of every business. Yet for many companies, the moment they scale is the moment they begin to lose the essence that made them successful in the first place. According to Canadian marketing strategist and business consultant Marline Henin, the culprit is often a silent one: the neglect of company culture during rapid expansion.
“Scaling is exciting, but it is also dangerous if you treat it as only an operational challenge,” says Henin, founder of a boutique consultancy that helps brands achieve transformative growth. “Processes, systems, and revenue targets matter, but if you sacrifice your culture in the process, you are building a company that may grow quickly but will also crumble quickly.”
With more than a decade of experience guiding brands from modest beginnings to multimillion-dollar revenues, Henin has seen firsthand how culture can accelerate or sabotage growth. She notes that many founders assume culture will take care of itself while they focus on logistics, staffing, and market expansion.
“That assumption is a mistake,” she warns. “Culture is not background music. It is the operating system of your business. If you do not maintain it intentionally, it will be replaced by whatever habits, attitudes, and shortcuts develop during times of change.”
The Hidden Costs of Neglecting Culture
Henin explains that when companies grow, they often hire rapidly, expand into new markets, and implement new technologies. They may compromise on training, onboarding, and communication in the rush to keep up with demand.
“The small and unspoken values that once defined how the team treated customers and each other start to fade,” she says. “You might notice more turnover, declining service quality, or a loss of creativity. By the time the leadership team realizes the culture has shifted, it is often difficult to reverse.”
She recalls one client, a fast-growing retail brand, that doubled its store count in under two years. “The numbers looked great, but internally, things were fraying,” Henin says. “The original team that had built a loyal customer base through personal service was stretched thin, and new hires were trained only on procedures, not values. Within a year, repeat business dropped, and the brand had to spend heavily on marketing to maintain sales.”
Why Culture Is a Growth Multiplier
In Henin’s view, culture is not just a feel-good concept. It is a competitive advantage. A healthy culture aligns employees with the brand’s mission, leading to consistent customer experiences and stronger loyalty.
“When your team understands not only what they do, but why they do it, they make better decisions even without direct oversight,” she explains. “That is priceless when you are expanding into new locations or markets.”
Scaling Without Losing Your Soul
Henin emphasizes that culture can and should evolve as a business grows but must remain rooted in core values. She advises companies to take deliberate steps to protect and adapt their culture during expansion:
- Document Your Values Clearly – Put into writing the principles that guide decisions, interactions, and customer service.
- Hire for Fit as Well as Skill – Ensure new hires align with the company’s values, even if it means slowing down recruitment.
- Train on Culture, Not Just Process – Make value-based training part of onboarding so employees know how to embody the brand.
- Keep Leaders Visible – Maintain open communication between leadership and frontline teams to reinforce trust.
- Measure Cultural Health – Use employee surveys, retention rates, and customer feedback to track cultural strength.
The Founder’s Role
Henin believes that founders and executives must be the strongest advocates for culture. “Your people will watch what you do more than what you say,” she notes. “If you cut corners on quality or ignore feedback during the scaling process, you are signaling that culture is optional, and it never is.”
A Warning and an Opportunity
While neglecting culture can sink even the most promising business, Henin says the reverse is true. Companies that invest in culture during scaling often outperform their competitors in retention, customer satisfaction, and long-term profitability.
“Growth can amplify whatever already exists in your business,” she says. “If you have a strong culture, scaling will multiply it. If you have cracks, scaling will widen them.”