The language of startups needs to change: Why it’s time to stop saying we’re “crushing” and “killing” it

“We’ve been smashing all our milestones for the last 12 months, and now we’re hoping to keep killing it over 2018.”

How many times have you heard that sentence, or something similar? Or how many times have you yourself said your company was “crushing it” or “dominating”?

These words have become an inherent part of the global startup ecosystem, but prominent Australian leaders are now questioning their purpose and declaring the language of startups needs to change.

In a tweet earlier this month, Australian startup community figurehead and regular advocate for diversity and equality Annie Parker declared she would no longer be “crushing, killing or smashing things”. Instead, she is looking to “build, grow & elevate” this year.

The tweet received an overwhelming amount of support, with more than 250 likes and 60 retweets, and many members of the #startupaus community chimed in to back Annie’s pledge, such as Emergent chief executive Holly Ransom and inkl chief executive Gautam Mishra.

Speaking to StartupSmart, Parker said it was difficult to pinpoint where the “frequently bro-centric” language of startups originated from, but she believes it could have something to do with the “heavily” white male culture of Silicon Valley.

“Words matter. Whether you like it or not, potential employees, customers or investors will make judgments about you or your business based on how the language you use makes them feel,” she says. Read more

Dominic Powell - Smart Company - 19 Feb 2018