A couple of days ago, Henrique Dubugras published a new episode of the HD in HD podcast featuring Nik Storonsky, the CEO & Co-Founder of Revolut. The conversation is insightful and provocative – absolutely worth your time, I recommend you to check it out when you get the chance. 

However, if you’re thinking of following in Nik’s footsteps to grow your own company, you might be setting yourself up for failure. And here’s why.

Nik is an outlier. You (probably) aren’t.

One of the defining opportunities of my career was being part of Revolut’s early growth team and reporting directly to Nik. Calling him outstanding would be an understatement. Nik isn’t the 1% – he’s the 0.1%. He’s a product visionary, operating at a level comparable to Steve Jobs (no exaggeration). He sees around corners, makes lightning-fast decisions, and has an almost superhuman level of discipline and work ethic.

Chances are, you’re not like him. So what works for him won’t work for you. Trying to replicate Nik’s approach and expecting the same results is like attempting to move from a sedentary lifestyle to a world-class athlete’s training schedule overnight. You will burn out. You will fail.

Revolut’s product is flawless. Yours probably isn’t.

Revolut’s growth was powered by a best-in-class product from day one. Revolut set new standards for quality and performance in fintech, delivering an intuitive, seamless user experience that solved real problems and truly wowed customers.

Meanwhile, I’ve spent over five years advising startups, and here’s the uncomfortable truth: most products out there are mediocre. Yet, founders still expect growth hires to work miracles. Growth isn’t the holy grail. You can’t hack your way to product-market fit. If you’re building an average product and trying to apply Nik’s tactics, you’re not going to get Revolut-level outcomes.

Revolut’s talent density is unmatched. Yours likely isn’t.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Revolut was the sheer caliber of people I worked with. The team wasn’t just smart. They were relentless, driven, and deeply aligned with the company’s values. Underperformance wasn’t tolerated. Bias to action was second nature. Critical thinking wasn’t optional – it was the rule of law. Every single role, from junior to leadership, went through rigorous analytical assignments before being hired, ensuring the highest talent density possible.

Now, compare that to most startups. You might have a handful of rockstars on your team, but assembling a full squad of A-players is an uphill battle. Either you can’t afford them, or you don’t have the brand recognition to attract them. So if you try to apply Nik’s management philosophy, where you let people self-manage, and expect them to deliver, you’ll likely be setting your team up for failure. They need structure, guidance, and a strong framework to succeed.

Revolut is one-of-a-kind. Don’t blindly copy their playbook

Revolut’s journey is nothing short of inspiring, and Nik is a remarkable leader. But he’s also one-in-a-billion. Yes, there’s immense value in learning from the best. But growth strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all. Not everyone will build the next trillion dollar company, and definitely not by mimicking the strategy of others.

Before you apply someone else’s playbook, or try to follow a blueprint, just ask yourself: Is my company playing in the same league? Do I have the same resources, talent density, and product quality? Because if you don’t, you won’t get the same results.