When a startup begins to scale, the people problems tend to arrive before the people systems do.
That tension is at the centre of the latest episode of Let’s Table That, the HR podcast from Borderless AI, which features Holly Warwick, People Operations Manager at Ground News and a veteran of the Kitchener-Waterloo tech ecosystem.
In the episode, titled “Startup HR That Doesn’t Kill the Culture,” hosts Jazmine and Glaze speak with Warwick about what happens when growing companies move from a small founding team to a larger organization with more roles, more managers, and more complexity.
For many startups, People Ops begins as an administrative function focused on payroll, policies, paperwork, and basic compliance. But as Warwick explains, that view changes quickly once a company starts hiring at pace. People decisions become business decisions, and the systems that support hiring, performance, leadership, and culture can determine whether a company scales smoothly or starts to crack under pressure.
The conversation explores when startups should make their first People Ops hire, why founders often wait too long, and how early-stage companies can introduce structure without becoming overly corporate.
That balance is a recurring theme throughout the episode. Warwick cautions against copying big-company HR playbooks too early, especially in startup environments where speed, trust, and adaptability matter. What works inside a large organization may slow down a smaller team or create processes that feel disconnected from the company’s actual stage of growth.
The episode also digs into a common startup hiring mistake: bringing in big-company talent and assuming the transition will be seamless. Warwick notes that startup work often requires people who are comfortable with ambiguity, limited resources, and shifting priorities. Experience matters, but so does fit with the realities of a scaling company.
For founders and tech leaders, the discussion offers a practical reminder that culture does not preserve itself. As teams grow, leaders need to be more intentional about communication, expectations, management, and decision-making. The goal is not to add bureaucracy. It is to create enough structure that people can do their best work without losing what made the company special in the first place.
The episode is especially relevant for Canadian startups navigating growth in a more disciplined market. With teams expected to do more with less, founders can no longer treat people operations as something to figure out later. Hiring well, managing well, and building trust are core parts of company-building.
At its heart, Warwick’s message is simple: scaling a company is not just about adding headcount. It is about building the leadership, systems, and culture needed to support the people already there, and the people still to come.
Watch the full episode of Let’s Table That below.
Borderless AI is a sponsor of Techtalent.ca. Through its Let’s Table That series, the company is featuring conversations with leaders about work, people, and the realities of building modern teams.