The Lesson: Celebration is Not a Luxury—It's a Necessity
The other day, a startup I know closed a really big funding round. It was a moment that should have been filled with excitement and recognition. But when people from their cohort walked past their office, they saw the team just sitting there, working late into the night—business as usual.
Why aren't you celebrating?
Startups operate at breakneck speed, constantly focused on the next milestone, the next challenge, the next problem to solve. But failing to pause and acknowledge progress—both wins and failures—can drain morale, slow momentum, and ultimately hurt growth.
I've learned this firsthand. I remember working at a startup as one of the first employees. About a year and a half in, we had never had a crash with our test drone. Then one day, it finally happened. It wasn't even a major crash, but the team was devastated. Components broke. Spirits sank. But my reaction? "YES! We finally failed!" No product works perfectly from the start, and this failure meant we had pushed the limits and found a way to improve. That night, at 3 AM, I baked a massive apple pie for the team—to celebrate our first failure. Because failure meant progress.
The Common Problem: Startups Forget to Celebrate
Too many startups fall into the trap of only celebrating when they hit major milestones—if they even celebrate at all.
- They downplay small wins: "It's not that big of a deal."
- They fear celebrating failures: "What will people think?"
- They're always chasing the next goal: "We'll celebrate when we hit the BIG milestone."
But this mindset is dangerous. It leads to burnout, disengagement, and missed opportunities for motivation. When I visited a startup's sales office a few years ago, I heard a bell ring. The founder told me that every time a sale was made, the rep would ring the bell, and the entire 20-person team would cheer and update a whiteboard.
This simple act of celebration led to a remarkable increase in sales. Why? Because celebrating small wins fuels momentum.
The Fix: Build a Culture of Celebration
Want a stronger, more resilient team? Make celebration a habit.
- Celebrate hitting small goals – When you reach a lead generation target, acknowledge it.
- Celebrate the end of the year—even if you missed the mark – Recognize the wins you did achieve.
- Celebrate failure as a learning opportunity – Innovation requires risk. Every failure is a step toward success.
- Create rituals of recognition – Use bells, whiteboards, Slack shoutouts, or monthly reflections to make celebration part of your culture.
The Evidence: Why Celebration Works
Startups that take the time to celebrate wins and failures see real results:
- Higher morale – Employees feel valued and engaged.
- Increased productivity – Recognized work leads to greater motivation.
- Stronger team culture – A shared sense of progress keeps teams aligned.
- Better employee retention – People stay where they feel appreciated.
The Bottom Line
Startups thrive on energy, momentum, and learning. But if you don't celebrate the journey, you risk losing the drive that makes your team great.
When was the last time you celebrated?
Remember
Pause. Celebrate. Keep building.
That's all for today.
See you next week!
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