Startup culture often glorifies founders who work nonstop, but long hours alone do not always build the greatest companies. Stories of founders sleeping in their offices and working around the clock have become common in the startup world, creating the impression that success comes simply from working more than everyone else.

While hard work is important, effort alone does not guarantee that a business will grow. The real question is whether those hours are spent creating value for customers and moving the company forward.

Corgi cofounder Nico Laqua has described an unusually demanding work culture, saying he works seven days a week, sleeps only three to four hours a night, and even keeps a mattress in the office. His philosophy is that if something can be accomplished in five days, even more can be accomplished in six or seven. That approach has coincided with rapid success, with reports valuing Corgi at about $2.6 billion only two years after it was founded.

However, working longer is only valuable when the work itself creates meaningful progress. Bain and Company argues that successful founders share a bold mission, an owner’s mindset, and a strong focus on customers. Those qualities ensure that time is spent solving the problems that actually drive growth instead of simply filling more hours in the day.

The habits founders model often become the expectations employees follow. At Corgi, Laqua has said the company does not operate with a traditional weekend structure, and consistently taking both Saturday and Sunday off is reportedly discouraged. He has also said that about two thirds of the company’s first 30 employees chose to get the company logo tattooed, illustrating how strongly the culture shaped the team.

An intense culture can help a startup move quickly, but it can also increase the risk of burnout and employee turnover. When leaders consistently reward constant availability, employees may begin to feel that the same level of sacrifice is expected from them.

Founders do not only build products. They also build workplace cultures that influence how their teams work every day.

Building a startup often requires extraordinary effort, but lasting success depends on creating a business that can operate without constant sacrifice. Bain found that only one in nine companies sustained profitable growth for a decade or more, with many businesses pointing to internal challenges as the reason growth slowed.

Early intensity should help founders build stronger systems, capable teams, and repeatable processes that allow the company to keep growing over time. Businesses that rely indefinitely on extreme work schedules often expose themselves to burnout, weaker decision making, and slower long term performance.

The strongest companies eventually outgrow the need for nonstop sacrifice because they replace constant effort with effective systems.

Working harder is not the same as building a better business.

Corgi shows that extraordinary effort can help a startup grow quickly, but long term success depends on directing that effort toward customers, building a healthy culture, and creating systems that continue producing results over time. The best founders are not simply the ones who work the longest. They are the ones who make sure their work creates lasting value.