Growth
A Better Question About Growth
Growth is not simply a target. It is a set of choices about customers, capabilities, markets and where to commit scarce resources.
Marcus Reed
6 min read
Most growth conversations begin with a number. Revenue should double, margins should rise, a new market should contribute a share of sales by a given year. The number is useful. It is rarely the right starting point.
Start with the customer, not the target
A better question is where the organisation has a credible right to win. Which customers value what it does well, and how many of them are there? Growth that rests on an honest answer tends to compound. Growth that rests on ambition alone tends to stall.
Test the opportunity before funding it
Every opportunity competes for the same leadership attention and capital. We encourage teams to test each one against three criteria: the size of the prize, the strength of the organisation’s position and the effort required to capture it.
When those three are considered together, the list of attractive options usually becomes much shorter. That is a good outcome. Focus is what turns growth from an aspiration into a plan.
Written by
Marcus Reed
Partner, Markets & Investment
Marcus works with leadership teams and investors on market assessment, portfolio choices and capital allocation. His approach combines commercial analysis with a practical understanding of execution.
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