Today I want to share a few insights from a book I just finished: Eckart’s Notes by Eckart Wintzen. It’s written like a journal and packed with sharp, unconventional thinking about how to grow a company without losing its soul.
When Wintzen's tech company BSO scaled to 2.500+ people, he rejected the typical corporate playbook. No endless layers. No bloated org charts. No soul-sucking overhead.
Instead, he ran it using a cell structure.
What’s a Cell Structure?
Think of your business as a collection of small, self-managed teams — almost like mini-companies.
Each cell:
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Has no more than 50 people
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Runs its own P&L
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Hires its own team
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Wins its own clients
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Manages its own operations and office
When a cell gets too big, it splits into two. Both new cells operate independently. What ties everything together is a shared mission, common values, and a few core standards.
Why It Works
Cells give you the agility of a startup with the brand power of a larger business.
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Your people feel ownership — not overhead
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You prevent bureaucracy before it starts
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Culture stays human and local
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You grow faster by distributing control, not hoarding it
At the center of it all is trust. The holding team doesn’t control the cells. It coaches, supports, and sets standards — but doesn’t interfere.
The Rules of the Cell Game
To be a true cell, you must:
✅ Be a self-sustaining profit center
✅ Win your own clients and hire your own team
✅ Follow shared cultural and operational standards
✅ Own your delivery, results, and admin
✅ Split when you grow too big
✅ Be shut down if you stop working
No central HR. No massive staff departments. No illusion of autonomy.
The holding company offers clarity and connection, but each cell runs its own show.
Founder @ Guram
