Inventure’s Post

I'm deeply committed to assisting businesses in their growth journey, and one key element often overlooked is a clear 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧. While speed is essential, it must be backed by a robust operational framework and thoughtful decision-making processes. Some less apparent factors to consider include Shared Values, which shape how companies tackle challenges, the importance of Structuring Roles to support growth effectively, and Defining Scope by focusing on the most promising internal and external opportunities. How about you? Have you integrated a Scaling Plan into your strategy sessions to ensure comprehensive and sustainable growth with your team? Here are six areas founders should focus on when building their company. #BusinessGrowth #ScalingStrategy #OperationalExcellence

https://lnkd.in/dZCYV2qd Small companies possess one great competitive advantage over incumbents. At every level of the business, the employees of small companies make their decisions and pursue their objectives motivated by an owner’s mindset. #founder #culture #mindset

I (almost) have nothing to say about Founder Mode. Almost. I understand the distinction between founder and manager modes. However, I think it’s important to consider how a founder balances "explore" (innovation) and "exploit" (revenue and profit generation). Founders may be more hands-on with innovation, but they also need to leverage their early advantages to scale effectively. How do founders maintain this balance without falling into the traps of either too much exploration or stagnation? Maybe these are not the modes you are looking for. Perhaps both are necessary ingredients for a winning recipe.

FOUNDER MODE IN PRACTICE Paul Graham, retired founder of Y-Combinator, stirred a great deal of discussion on X last week with his article: "Founder Mode". In it he takes the position that founders are better equipped than hired managers to scale their business for much the same reason that founders are successful in founding businesses. They operate the business in “founder mode.” But just what founder mode is, he posits, we don’t really understand. Many commented with their own explications of founder mode, the best of which, I think, express it something like this: The founder mindset works from first-principles, not convention. It continuously tears into things to find what works and what doesn’t, then creates the systems that exploit those learnings. Everything else is ejected with extreme prejudice. This first-principles approach works because every uniquely successful business will have to operate in some unique ways to cultivate its differentiation. Founder mode is a first-principles approach to building what uniquely works in a business rather than merely applying standard management theory. Yogi Berra long ago expressed this base principle in his own unique way: “In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.” Yet there are many examples of non-founders who have led companies to tremendous success and scale, think: Tim Cook or Satya Nadella. So, it would seem that Graham’s founder mode is not so much a matter of being a founder as it is having that first-principles mindset. It is the mindset that drives one to tear deeply into issues, understand them at their roots, then emphatically build what works in practice, not just in theory. Which means that you don’t need to be a founder to successfully scale a business. But you do need that first-principles approach so often exemplified by founders. Which also means that those with long experience in taking the first-principles approach are people you want on your team.   #scaling, #founder, #leadership, #VC, #PE

𝙄𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙤 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙩? As a founder, there comes a time when you need to ask yourself the tough questions. I remember a time when I was committed to a strategy that wasn’t yielding results. I was pouring resources into a product that wasn’t gaining traction. When I finally came to terms and suggested a pivot—shifting focus to a service model instead—there was hesitancy at first. But that shift unlocked new opportunities and turned a struggling business into a thriving one. What I’ve learned in my journey is that the willingness to pivot isn't a sign of failure; it’s a sign of adaptability. Successful businesses don’t stubbornly stick to the same path—they evolve when the market demands it. So, how do you know when it’s time to pivot? 1. Market Response: If your customers aren’t engaging with your product/service the way you expected, it may be time to reassess. 2. New Opportunities: Sometimes, a new market opportunity presents itself that better aligns with your strengths. 3. Revenue Plateau: If your growth has stalled despite consistent effort, it’s worth exploring different strategies. At the heart of any successful pivot is the courage to act before it’s too late. Don’t wait until your business is in crisis to consider new paths. Sometimes, the smallest shifts make the biggest difference. Have you ever had to pivot in your business? What signs did you see before making the change? #FounderLessons #BusinessPivot #StartupStrategy

Random thoughts: Working with top international executives and founders for the past 15 years, I’ve seen that the importance of a company’s brand is clear, even to early-stage startup founders. However, the significance of personal branding for executives and founders is often overlooked. Yet, we buy from people, we hire people, and ultimately, we invest in people. Your personal brand is a true asset that can set you apart, shifting you from the saturated "red ocean" of competition to the "blue ocean" of authenticity and values-based differentiation. It has so much potential and it pays off big times. Random thoughts and observations of a brand and marketing leader. What is your take on that? #Personalbrand #personalbranding #b2bfounder #b2cfounder #startupfouder #brandmarketing #contentmarketing #topvoice #brandvoice

Master the art of scaling up and elevating your business to new heights. Discover how to thrive in growth. Scaling up a business requires more than a vision; it demands a strategic, inclusive, and focused approach. #amplifynowglobal #BusinessGrowth #ScaleUpStrategy #InnovativeLeadership #GrowthMindset #TeamDynamics #StrategicExecution #FinancialHealth #GazelleCompanies #BusinessAscent #InclusiveLeadership @amplifynowglobal https://lnkd.in/gie3_rsH

FOUNDER MODE IN PRACTICE Paul Graham, retired founder of Y-Combinator, stirred a great deal of discussion on X last week with his article: Founder Mode. In it he takes the position that founders are better equipped than hired managers to scale their business for much the same reason that founders are successful in founding businesses. They operate the business in “founder mode.” But just what founder mode is, he posits, we don’t really understand. Many commented with their own explications of founder mode, the best of which, I think, express it something like this: The founder mindset works from first-principles, not convention. It continuously tears into things to find what works and what doesn’t, then creates the systems that exploit those learnings. Everything else is ejected with extreme prejudice. This first-principles approach works because every uniquely successful business will have to operate in some unique ways to cultivate its differentiation. Founder mode is a first-principles approach to building what uniquely works in a business rather than merely applying standard management theory. Yogi Berra long ago expressed this base principle in his own unique way: “In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.” Yet there are many examples of non-founders who have led companies to tremendous success and scale, think: Tim Cook or Satya Nadella. So, it would seem that Graham’s founder mode is not so much a matter of being a founder as it is having that first-principles mindset. It is the mindset that drives one to tear deeply into issues, understand them at their roots, then emphatically build what works in practice, not just in theory. Which means that you don’t need to be a founder to successfully scale a business. But you do need that first-principles approach so often exemplified by founders. Which also means that those with long experience in taking the first-principles approach are people you want on your team.    By Bill Haines, Partner Marlborough Street Partners #scaling, #founder, #leadership, #VC, #PE

FOUNDER MODE IN PRACTICE Paul Graham, retired founder of Y-Combinator, stirred a great deal of discussion on X last week with his article: Founder Mode. In it he takes the position that founders are better equipped than hired managers to scale their business for much the same reason that founders are successful in founding businesses. They operate the business in “founder mode.” But just what founder mode is, he posits, we don’t really understand.  Many commented with their own explications of founder mode, the best of which, I think, express it something like this: The founder mindset works from first-principles, not convention. It continuously tears into things to find what works and what doesn’t, then creates the systems that exploit those learnings. Everything else is ejected with extreme prejudice. This first-principles approach works because every uniquely successful business will have to operate in some unique ways to cultivate its differentiation. Founder mode is a first-principles approach to building what uniquely works in a business rather than merely applying standard management theory. Yogi Berra long ago expressed this base principle in his own unique way: “In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.” Yet there are many examples of non-founders who have led companies to tremendous success and scale, think: Tim Cook or Satya Nadella. So, it would seem that Graham’s founder mode is not so much a matter of being a founder as it is having that first-principles mindset. It is the mindset that drives one to tear deeply into issues, understand them at their roots, then emphatically build what works in practice, not just in theory. Which means that you don’t need to be a founder to successfully scale a business. But you do need that first-principles approach so often exemplified by founders. Which also means that those with long experience in taking the first-principles approach are people you want on your team.     By Bill Haines, Partner Marlborough Street Partners #scaling, #founder, #leadership, #VC, #PE

Growing a business is the most complicated challenge a leader will ever face. Why? Because there is NO 'one way' to do it. Rather, there are MANY ways to grow a business, and the right strategy depends on the growth stage a particular business is in, and that includes your big, incumbent core business. Pick the wrong strategy → FAIL ☠ Pick a strategy that doesn’t match your growth stage → FAIL ☠ Pick the wrong execution governance → FAIL ☠ Here’s how to grow your business according to its maturity stage: 🚀 Start-up phase (can be a true startup or a corporate venture): 💡 Philosophy: Fail fast ✅ Do: Find Problem-Solution-Fit and then do everything in your power to find Product-Market Fit (PMF), above all. Experiment relentlessly, and don’t be afraid to pivot the moment you realise that you took the wrong alley. ❌ Don’t: Scale up ❌ Don’t: Apply well-intended but ill-suited advice from grown-ups (branding? don't even think about it) 📈 Scale-up phase (e.g. an expanding SaaS company): 💡 Philosophy: Scale fast ✅ Do: Capitalize on the one or the few effective channels and leverage them to find new audiences. Scale commercial operations, especially in Sales and Marketing, to move from 1:1 to 1-to-many. Only do what works, and avoid spreading yourself too thin chasing all the shiny other 'opportunities'. ❌ Don’t: Pretend to be a grown-up 🌳 Grown-up phase (i.e. an established corporation at scale): 💡 Philosophy: Diversify or die ✅ Do: Transform and protect your core. ✅ Do: Develop new, independent revenue streams by leveraging your core's strengths, beyond the core itself. Otherwise, you'll vanish in a decade, max two. Be aware of your true organisational capabilities, and find smart ways to apply them elsewhere. ❌ Don’t: Fall into the Focus-On-Core trap, which destroys shareholder value more often than not (read our studies on the matter). What stage of business growth are you in? Is your organisation's current mission reflecting the stage requirements? #corporatestrategy #corporateinnovation #digitaltransformation #businessgrowth