Multiple Pillars to Grow Strong

Strengthen Your Growth with a Diverse Foundation

A few months ago, a European business owner reached out to me to assess his U.S. strategy. His company offers digital business solutions, and the last couple of years had been incredible. Eighty percent of their revenue came from the U.S., and the team grew from 15 to 60 people in just a few years. It all sounded amazing. And his growth was amazing, until his single stream of opportunity dried up.

Suddenly, he faced an empty pipeline, declining sales, and no clear brand identity in the U.S. But what worried him most was that his team had grown larger than the opportunities available. He had to let team members go.

It is a risky approach to grow your business based on one main pillar, whether that is a distributor, a sales agent, or a large customer. When that pillar disappears, it is easy to blame unloyal partners, difficult customers, or simply bad luck.

The truth is you always need to be prepared for this. What if one partner or channel falls away? Will your business or brand still stand?

Together with my clients, we always do a “stress test” on their strategy.

“Build your business on multiple pillars. If one falls away, you may need to restructure or rebalance, but the whole business will remain strong.”

Here are three tips to get you started:

1.       Diversify your revenue streams. Don’t rely on a single customer, channel, or partner to drive your growth. Explore new markets, offer new services, and explore different channels.

2.       Keep your team agile. Grow your team thoughtfully so you can adapt quickly when the market changes. Sometimes less is more when it comes to scaling.

3.      Regularly run what-if scenarios. Take time to imagine what would happen if a key partner or customer suddenly disappeared or if a certain scenario played out.

Building your business in a healthy and sustainable way means building it on different pillars. That is how you create lasting strength and true resilience.