I'm currently working at a growth-stage company, and I wonder if its the worst of the two worlds.
We used to get things done quickly, and now we have all these bureaucratic layers inserted. But they are also immature in that folks are often thinking in the old world "we must pivot" mindset, which we just can't do given how things don't move quickly anymore.
I've gone through this at multiple jobs too. It's hard. You want the company to succeed (especially if you have a stake) but the work itself becomes less enjoyable. I very much understand why some companies choose to stay small even if it means they're limiting their potential.
We used to get things done quickly, and now we have all these bureaucratic layers inserted. But they are also immature in that folks are often thinking in the old world "we must pivot" mindset, which we just can't do given how things don't move quickly anymore.