When Growth isn't Supported

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking in Damme, the lovely countryside near my hometown Bruges, when a beautiful old tree in someone’s garden caught my eye. It was heavy with hundreds of prunes hanging from its branches, still in the process of ripening.

I was sad to see that one of the main branches had snapped. It had simply become too heavy to carry the weight of all the fruit. The prunes were still on the branch but would probably never ripen, and the branch would be lost anyway.

I couldn’t help but think: what if the tree had been pruned earlier? It might have carried less fruit, but it would have had the strength to hold it.

It reminded me of business. I love working with ambitious entrepreneurs who are full of ideas and excited to explore new growth opportunities. But here’s the thing: not all growth is healthy growth.

Before you scale, it’s worth asking:

·         If you have a product: Are there production bottlenecks? Do you have the right resources in place?

·         If you offer a service: How much more can your team take on without burning out?

·         If you sell software: What kind of support will be needed to deliver the experience you promise?

Growth is exciting, but only when it's sustainable. Otherwise, you risk burning out your team, disappointing your customers, or damaging your reputation.

That’s why, in the first phase of my work with clients, we take a close look at what healthy growth means for your business and explore what needs to be in place to support the next step.

Curious to see how this applies to your situation?

👉 Request a Discovery Call to Start Your Growth Plan

Together, we’ll assess your goals and ambitions, and explore the best way to support that growth so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and the right foundation in place.