No one can predict the future. But as the CEO of a growing company, it’s your job to try.
A company that operates only on the day-to-day, reactive level will not make it in the long run. Not only is it hectic and draining, it is too chaotic to maintain over time. If all you’re doing is jumping from one fire to the next, you will never be able to create consistent and sustainable growth. You might get lucky and last for a year or two, but those two years will be painful.
If you want your company to not just survive, but thrive, you need to take the time to be more intentional about your growth and to create plans for each of the major areas of your company.
Taking the time to plan out your growth for the next 12 months will not only give you better clarity about where your company is going, it will also help you to anticipate what bumps you might hit along the way.
Every company should have a budget, a sales plan, a marketing plan, and an operations plan. These plans become even more important the larger you get. You might be able to get away with just rolling with the punches as a small company, but as you move into the 50+ employee range, you have a duty to those employees to ensure that you know where your company is going.
You should also include your employees in this planning process. Ask them where they’d like to see the company end up. What do they think you are capable of? What issues do they see coming up over the next 12 months? Including their input will help provide more diverse perspectives, as well as make them even more committed to the plan. Make your company’s path to growth easier by working to anticipate problems before they arise.
If you’d like to be more intentional about your company’s growth, we can send you a workbook that addresses the most pressing issues a company of your size faces. Just register here to let us know the size of your company.
