Story
Lemonlight grew to 200 people, then had to cut back
Hope Horner co-founded Lemonlight, a video agency, and grew it to nearly 200 people. Then reality caught up, and the team was brought back down to around 75.
As she's said openly, the climb to 200 wasn't a careful plan. Headcount had run ahead of what the business could support.
What went wrong
Hiring against a busy patch feels right in the moment. But a spike in work is temporary, while a salary is not. When the spike passes, the wages stay.
The habit that prevents it
Hire against steady, lasting demand, not a short burst. Payroll is the cost that doesn't leave when the project does.
How you'd see this coming in Punctual
Punctual shows your real profit and your cash as they stand, so you can tell a lasting trend from a short spike before you commit to a hire you can't easily undo.
Source: Hope Horner, on the Smart Agency Masterclass podcast.