Simply put, most entrepreneurial start-ups fail. Those fortunate enough
to succeed then face a second, major challenge: how to grow. This book
focuses on the key questions an entrepreneur must answer in order to
grow a business. Based on extensive research of more than fifty
successful growth companies, Grow to Greatness discusses the top ten
growth challenges and how to overcome them. Author Edward D. Hess
dispels the myth that businesses must grow or die. Growth can create
value. But, too much growth too fast outstrips effective processes,
controls, or management capacity. Viewing growth as "recurring change,"
Grow to Greatness lays out a framework for how to approach business
development--and how to manage its risks and pace. The book then takes
readers through chapters that explore whether the time is right to grow,
how to do it, and how to manage the vital reality that growth requires
the right leadership, culture, and people. Uniquely, this book aims to
prepare readers for the day-to-day reality of growth, offering up the
lived experiences of eleven entrepreneurs. Six workshops to assess where
readers stand now and a suite of templates that will prove to be useful
over time help bring the book's teachings to life. After reading this
book, entrepreneurs will have a real understanding of their readiness to
grow and place in the growth cycle, as well as a concrete action plan
for where to take their businesses next. Many books address how to start
a business, but this is a unique, go-to resource for readers who want to
learn how to thrive beyond the start-up phase.
