In three years, Silverfin, provider of cloud software for accountants, changed offices three times. Getting a little tired of moving, the third relocation was one on growth. From the center of Ghent, the Belgian scaleup moved to the outskirts of the city. The office was larger and more conveniently located, but as a result also emptier and less bustling, less energetic.

'Too corporate'

Ever since its founding in 2013, Joris Van Der Gucht and Tim Vandecasteele's scaleup has been paying close attention to culture. That moment taught Van Der Gucht, a guest on the Work Professor podcast, that practical things like location play a big part in that. "Employees felt Silverfin was no longer the same company. It was no longer the startup they knew, no matter how nice the new office was. Some wanted to go back. I found it fascinating that such a practical change could have such an impact.'

The founders gave space to those feelings by continuing to communicate. Humor also helped: joking about how corporate the scaleup had become. Just like a - again - very practical intervention: closing off parts of the office, so that everyone could sit a little closer together.

Accounting automation

Ten years after its inception, the company is being sold to Norwegian software company Visma for 300 million euros. The idea arose out of "healthy frustration" with accountancy, says Van Der Gucht, who himself worked as an accountant. 'A fascinating world, but the repetitive tasks that came back month after month, year after year, bothered me. That's why we started Silverfin: to automate accountancy. We started bootstrapped and got to 1 million in revenue with that mindset. Then we started looking more seriously for growth capital.

Silverfin grew into a major player with, in addition to Ghent, offices in London and Copenhagen. That internationalization brought challenges. Van der Gucht lived in London for a while to support the team there and then noticed how big the cultural differences were. "In Ghent, I can trust that everyone dares to give their opinion, whereas getting feedback was more difficult in the United Kingdom. The culture is more hierarchical, it's not often spoken out if someone doesn't like something.'

Hypergrowth mindset

What he also learned? Pulling less hard on people. 'Silverfin was already a mega-success at the time, but that was perceived differently in the UK office. Not everyone was in that hypergrowth mindset yet. In London, I learned to let go and give the team the confidence to solve things themselves. A company only becomes scalable when employees start taking things on themselves.'

Van Der Gucht, meanwhile, is no longer involved with Silverfin. With the sale to Visma, the company, led by ceo Lisa Miles-Heal, enters its next phase. To force the establishment to change, he believes, sometimes you have to become part of the establishment.

'For me it was important that the team feel at home with the new owner. Visma turned out to be the right choice. Not only because of the strategic opportunities, but also because the company attaches great importance to culture. For example, employee satisfaction is measured quarterly at all portfolio companies, something we were already doing ourselves. That gave confidence that Visma would be a good home for Silverfin.

Three takeaways from the podcast:

• Culture is communication - A strong culture does not last by itself, especially in a fast-growing company. It requires constant attention and clear communication. Keep repeating the core values and vision, to the point that employees get a little tired of it. Van Der Gucht: "It's often repeating the same message a thousand times.
• The founder's vision is the driving force - But that doesn't mean founders should dictate everything. Their vision plays a crucial role in the culture and growth of a startup, but to reach the next stage, they also need to be able to hand things off. According to Van der Gucht, it's all about a careful balance between ownership and giving others room to grow and make decisions.
• Involve the team in change - In times of change, such as a move or acquisition, it is essential to keep the team involved and make practical adjustments to secure the culture. For example, a sale is not just about the numbers, but also a good cultural fit. That was the deciding factor for Silverfin's founders in the deal with Visma.