The Process of Starting a High-Growth Start-up

Many types of companies are growing quickly today, and many entrepreneurs rely heavily on their gut feelings when starting these companies. However, a systematic approach to developing and implementing a growth strategy is required to support many types of high-growth businesses' development. B-School graduates from the best management schools, such as MDIM (Management Development Institute, Murshidabad), have received specific training about strategic planning, analytical thinking, and functional management excellence.

In order to start building a scalable business, early-stage companies should develop a long-term growth strategy prior to starting operations. Therefore, an organized and consistent approach needs to be developed to support the successful execution of a good idea as an entrepreneur.

Through Real-World Experience, MDIM educates and prepares future entrepreneurs to be successful business leaders by providing them with a formal education and a rich array of real-life experiences.

All the Insights about the Steps to Take in Launching a High-Growth Start-up as a B-School Graduate and How MDIM Prepares Graduates Throughout Each Step Will Help Future Founders Validate Their Business Models.

MDIM's Centre for Entrepreneurship and Start-Ups (CES) is a unique program that assists students in developing their entrepreneurial mind-set, while helping them become self-sufficient and financially independent. The Centre is an innovative, collaborative, student-driven not-for-profit organisation that engages in building a culture of entrepreneurship and creating a world in which people will pursue their aspirations with integrity, creativity and sustainability.

Here are the top six areas in which this initiative supports MDIM's efforts to foster success in students as they transition from academic to professional life.

1. Identify Marketable Business Problems  

Finding a scalable business problem is critical to the success of any rapidly growing entrepreneurial venture. Instead of creating a new product, entrepreneurs must address an actual market need.

Entrepreneurs are advised to:

• Identify areas of the market where there is unmet demand
• Validate demand through market research and collected data
• Focus on potential for scalable growth
• Assess the potential for long-term success

How MDIM Creates Value:

At MDIM, we put a strong emphasis on both academic and real-world market research. By collecting information regarding how consumers behave and what they are looking for, we equip our students with the analytic tools that will allow them to critically examine opportunities before launching their businesses. Case Studies offer students the opportunity to view business problems from multiple industries and gain a better understanding of the realities of the market.

2. Creating and Maintaining a Viable Business Model

An idea does not become valuable until it has been developed into a viable, communicable business model.

The MDIM Programme provides: By taking courses in Strategic Management, Managerial Economics and Financial Markets students learn to develop business models based on business acumen. As students’ progress through their studies they are taught to look at things from a broader perspective than just the concept of a product (or idea), and to develop their businesses with an understanding of profitability and sustainability.

3. Developing MVP and financial discipline early

After creating the roadmap, developing MVP (Minimum Viable Prototypes) and commencing Marketing trials is essential for testing the business model and concept of a Business. Start-ups typically fail, not because of lack of ideas, but because of poor financial management (not managing finances correctly). The most successful founders created their initial prototype and then can raise funds to produce a full version (creating MVP allows them to secure the necessary funding for the business), while continuing to focus on long-term sustainability.

What Founders should aim for:

• Cash Flow and Capital Requirements. Founders should plan how much cash and Capital they will need to fund the start-up.
• First version/prototype - A preliminary model to test an idea or process.
• Understand the phases of funding (seed, series A, B, C, etc.) and what each Investor looks for in Funding.
• Financial discipline should begin from Day 1 of the business.

The MDIM Framework: Consumer behaviours and the collection of data to assist in critical analyses by students – aiding them in assessing an opportunity prior to execution; and Case Study Training by helping students understand the challenges of a particular business from various industry perspectives – gives students an overall view of the marketplace.

       4. Build a solid business model

Every idea is only worth something if it has an achievable and scalable business model behind it. Many new entrepreneurs do not fully appreciate the significant role of developing a business plan/model.

The goal of the business owner(s) should include:

• Accuracy in identifying the target market
• How to generate revenue and control costs
• Identifying unit economics
• Identifying market strategies
• Identifying how competitive the model is to continue in the future

How MDIM Views (new way of seeing):

Based on strategic management, managerial economics, and financial markets courses, students of MDIM will have the knowledge and skills to design an appropriate business model that ultimately generates profit. Upon reaching that level of understanding, to-be entrepreneurs will see beyond short-term successes and will begin to prioritise what will make their businesses successful for the future.

      5. Developing products with financial discipline:

Following the completion of the development of a roadmap, it is critical to begin validation of a concept by creating an MVP and starting market tests. Unfortunately, many start-ups fail as a result of not validating their concept.

To establish a high-performance team, there must be a synergy between the skills provided by each team member and a leadership structure that supports the appropriate use of each individual's expertise. By ensuring that the total output from a group of individuals is greater than the total value of their individual contributions, founders will be able to optimise their chances of business success through effective performance of the brand, product or service.

Founders should work towards developing a complementary team, developing their own and team members' leadership and conflict resolution skills, and establishing a common set of values that aligns their team with organisational goals.

MDIM supports the development of future business leaders through its courses of study in Organisational Behaviour, Human Resource Management, Leadership and Emotional Intelligence. The courses also include facilitated group projects, which help develop social networking and collaboration skills. completed projects provide opportunities for peer learning and collaboration, which are key to creating a positive organisational culture and in many instances create a virtual start-up environment in which collaboration and accountability are essential for success. The culture supports the entrepreneurial spirit of start-ups, and the group's synergy enables founders to grow faster than competing founders through the combined skills of the group.

The lack of a strong brand identity is one of the primary reasons why many great products do not reach their full market potential. A good product is not enough to ensure the maximum sales potential without a solid "Go-To-Market" strategy and a well-defined brand visibility strategy.

In developing a Go-To-Market strategy, founders should identify their target market segments, articulate strong value propositions for each segment, and establish a consistent positioning of their brand within the target market segments.

MDIM supports the development of effective go-to-market and brand strategies through its course content related to Marketing Planning, Brand Management, International Marketing, and Marketing Research.

MDIM's Contribution to Digital Transformation:

MDIM incorporates technology-driven management methods into its training through Business Analytics, Business Intelligence, Cyber Security, and Digital Transformation into the curriculum to prepare graduates with an understanding of how to leverage technology strategically to disrupt markets and optimise scalable performance. 

     6. Managing Risk and Uncertainty

Entrepreneurship is an inherently unpredictable venture; however, it is still possible to manage risks associated with entrepreneurship.

Founders of entrepreneurial ventures will want to:

1. Anticipate risks affecting their markets, finances, and operations
2. Create contingency plans
3. Take advantage of decision making processes for making informed decisions despite uncertainty

MDIM develops the ability to manage risk through developing a risk-focused mind-set with the use of strategic business simulations, case studies, and decision-making models using Global Business Strategy in order to manage risk effectively. Students of MDIM develop the ability to manage risk by studying Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and using that knowledge to evaluate risk factors and take actions based on those evaluations.

How MDIM Fosters Future Entrepreneur

MDIM's greatest asset to foster future entrepreneurs is its Comprehensive Management Education. The following aspects of MDIM allow it to create experts through its Centres for Entrepreneurship and Start-ups:

1.Economic and Industrial Growth:  Entrepreneurship fosters Economic and Industrial Growth through creating new jobs, creating as well as increasing standards of living.

2.Young People Empowered through Education:  Education, mentoring, and Real-World Exposure assist young people in creating successful businesses from their ideas.

3.The Institution's Commitment to Nation Building:  MDIM incorporates Entrepreneurship in its Academic Mission to promote Self Sustainability through Entrepreneurship.

MDI Murshidabad offers students and graduates a wide range of AICTE-approved and NBA-accredited programmes, including the PGDM (Post Graduate Degree in Management) two-year full-time residential programme that is equivalent to an MBA. Additionally, the Fellow Programme in Management provides an opportunity to pursue research within the discipline of management and the PGDM Online programme is suitable for those currently working who wish to pursue an MBA while continuing to work. For admission to the PGDM 2026-2028 programme, eligible applicants must possess a valid CAT (Common Admission Test) or XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) 2025 or 2026 score and a GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) score. A minimum of 50% (or equivalent CGPA) marks in Class X, Class XII, and a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university is required for all applicants. Candidates currently enrolled in their final year of study and who will complete their Bachelor's degree by 30 June 2026 are also eligible to apply, providing that they submit a copy of their graduation certificate no later than 1 October 2026. Foreign nationals, OCI (Overseas Cardholder of India) or PIO (People of Indian Origin) cardholders and children of Indians working in Gulf Countries may apply on the basis of a valid GMAT score. For the PGDM Online January 2026 programme, candidates are welcome to apply if they have a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university and possess a minimum of three years of work experience after completing their secondary and higher secondary education with at least 50% marks (or equivalent CGPA).

The Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) will accept, as a condition of eligibility to apply, candidates whose academic background includes a minimum of 50% of the maximum number of marks available on both their 10th and 12th grade report cards (as well as a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent CGPA) and whose Master’s Degree has a minimum score of 60% (this score indicates first division in the country of India) and that such candidates will be at least 30 years of age and have 5 years managerial experience in the last position of their career, as of the date on the application. The requirement for the applicant applying for FPM-Residential is for those who are currently preparing for an examination in their respective disciplines. The examination results that the applicant will use to apply must be taken from a Standard Test (e.g., CAT; XAT; GMAT; GRE; UGCJRF; or GATE). All applicants must have passed the appropriate Standard Test(s) in order to qualify to apply for FPM or, if an applicant does not have an appropriate Standard Test, the applicant would have to take the MDI Murshidabad Research Aptitude Test as a means of qualification.

What this means is more than just a simple invitation to apply for admission to these programs; it also means that you will have an opportunity to join a community which is the epicentre of the development of leadership through entrepreneurship and leadership based not only on grades but also on the way one generates new ideas, the cause for which new ideas are generated, and the courage to bring about positive change through the act of working with conscience.

Note: The views expressed in this article are of MDIM and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.