Comma-Chameleon: A Retrospective on Working with a High-Growth Company (Kaylie’s Story)

Working for a fast-growing company can be risky. When an organization isn’t well-established, there’s a high probability of failure. But along with that risk, high growth offers high reward potential. As Sheryl Sandberg was famously told by Eric Schmidt, “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat. Just get on.”

I joined Comma in 2019, not realizing that the company would soon be taking off for the stars. I was excited because it offered all the benefits of contract writing and agency work with none of the drawbacks. The work would be consistent. I could focus on writing, which I really loved, instead of marketing myself, which I didn’t. I could work from home and set my own hours. But most of all, Comma allowed me the flexibility to make choices, learn, and grow, while the company itself did the same.  

Choose Your Own Adventure

Comma instantly appealed to me as an opportunity to work from home. When I started, there were only about 15 of us writing for the team. I admired Crystalee’s strategic thinking skills as I watched the company expand. Still, I didn’t initially foresee how that growth would benefit me.

Comma not only offers the flexible working conditions I love, but it also offers choice. Even when my life circumstances change, Comma helps me find a Goldilocks workload, where I take on enough to keep me occupied but not so much that I sacrifice family time and sleep. Instead of feeling pressure to make my life fit into my work, Comma encourages me to fit projects into my life. More than once, I’ve taken a step back from projects and clients when I needed to rebalance my priorities. One time, I realized I’d simply taken on too much and asked if another writer could be assigned in my place. Another time, my father passed away, and I needed to take a few weeks off. Other writers willingly stepped up, and I didn’t have to worry about what kind of reputation I was creating for myself by turning down work. Comma accepted that I needed to take care of myself.

Not only can I work when, where, and how I want, but I can also choose what type of projects and responsibilities I want. As Comma grows, its number of clients increases. This growth means plenty of options are available. I’ve written for several B2B software companies in the financial and healthcare sectors. When Comma expanded its own marketing efforts, I created some images for the Comma blog as a side project. On the other hand, when managing editor responsibilities became available, no one objected when I decided I didn’t have time to take on that role. No matter what choices I make, working for a fast-growing company means more work and learning opportunities will continue to be around the corner. 

Learning and Loving It

As Comma grows, so do its goals, and so do my skills. Some of Comma’s goals are financial, some are fun (we’re still working on adding at least one client for every letter of the alphabet), and some are altruistic.

These goals keep us growing. Usually, we achieve these goals, but even when we don’t, I still feel proud of the accomplishments Crystalee shares with us every month because, without the stretch goals, we wouldn’t get nearly as far. Sometimes circumstances intervene, making it difficult to achieve our plans, but the relentless commitment to growth is not just about the numbers – it’s about personal and business growth gained from lessons learned.

When a company is in a rapid growth phase, decisions must be made quickly. An organization can’t expand without venturing into uncharted, uncomfortable territory and making some mistakes. 

For example, as Comma grew, the company made some missteps while determining which types of clients and content it would take on, investing in some situations that turned out to be unsuitable. Crystalee was unflinching in her honesty about those mistakes, and she implemented new decisions and policies to reflect the lessons she’d learned. This helped me as a writer when I made mistakes of my own – once, I accidentally erased a client’s entire Google document, and I sometimes falter with new clients as I learn their brand voice. Because I have a front-row seat to Comma’s growth experience, it’s easier to handle my own errors gracefully.

The Road Ahead

As Comma has grown to 40+ writers, of course, some things have changed. Comma has adopted an official set of values. New roles and positions have become available. It seems like we’re constantly adding new clients and writers. Goals are bigger and better than ever, which is exciting (we’re fast approaching our $1 million revenue goal). Last year, we were so excited to make the Utah Fast 50 List, and this year, we’re number 24! 

But these changes are exciting, not overwhelming, and that’s why I love watching Comma grow. Like all change, some aspects are fun, and others require adjustment. For example, I haven’t met some of the new writers we’ve hired. I miss seeing so many familiar faces when I get on a Zoom call. On the other hand, some new writers are people I already knew in my pre-Comma life, which makes it fun to catch up online when we see each other! New people present new opportunities for friendships I hope to develop in the future. It’s lots of fun to work with people you consider to be your friends! 

Comma will continue to grow and change, and I’m proud to be part of that. There will continue to be a need for content, and we are the ideal word nerds–yes, we have favorite punctuation marks–to fill that need. Not only am I a witness to something that’s greater than myself, but I’m also a participant in it. I’m part of a company that’s making a meaningful difference in the world, all while doing something I love. The potential and opportunities in the future are limitless, and although this less-than-conventional business model is risky and we may not foresee all the places the Comma rocket ship is headed, this quickly growing company is a really fun, really nerdy path to the stars.  

Written by Kaylie Astin as part of the Comma culture series. Want to join our team? Check out our hiring page.

Kaylie Astin lives in Utah with her husband, three children, and far too many animals, whom she regularly abandons so she can indulge in her musical hobbies. Her favorite punctuation mark is a well-placed hyphen.