The Constant Quest for Growth

At the end of the day, what is every business trying to do? Grow. More customers, more sales, positive cash flow, larger deal sizes, higher volume, more billable hours, justification for higher prices, etc. Ask any hard-working entrepreneur what he or she is working on and you’re bound to hear a comment related to growth. Why? Because if you’re not growing, you’re shrinking. It’s why we are all in business – to build or create something bigger than ourselves.

The classic growth strategies include partnerships, market expansion, acquisition, product extension, and franchising. While these strategies are well known, how does an organization come to select one over the other as a means for growth? And once decided, how is the company run? Ultimately, I believe growth is determined by providing value to your customers, the people you hire, the processes they develop, and culture you choose to build.

So instead of thinking about the detailed strategies themselves, here are some practical considerations to keep in mind on your constant quest for growth…

from Erica Olsen

Full Story: http://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/lifebalance/a/questforgrowth.htm