Hockey Stick Growth
Also called Hockey Stick
A growth curve that stays flat for a while, then bends sharply upward, like a hockey stick. The shape founders hope for and investors look for.
Why it matters
The hockey stick captures the dream of a startup that finds its inflection and takes off, but the flat handle, the long grind before it, is where most companies live and many die. Real hockey sticks are rare, and forecasts that assume one are suspect.
For example
A startup grows slowly for 18 months, then its referral loop kicks in and revenue bends sharply upward into a hockey stick.
Go deeper
Related terms
Also in Starting Up
See how founders actually handle this on Founder life, part of the Starting Up hub.
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