The television ads during the Super Bowl are legendary. We all have our favorites and suffer through the duds. This year, it was Chevrolet’s “You Know You Want a Truck” slogan for its new Colorado truck that caught my attention. It is so simple and effective.

At the Business Growth Center, our slogan for capturing the attention of existing business owners could easily be, “You Know You Want to Grow.” If I was going to run a half dozen television spots, I might feature several versions of business owners— dreaming about their growth goals, more capabilities, more customers, more sales, increased profitability and more employees. These are the kinds of things business owners are focused on when they walk through our door or call our office. They are seeking growth.

So how do you grow? If only it was as easy as buying a new truck. [Read more…]

Most business owners want to grow their business to achieve increased revenues, higher profits and streamlined operations – and to employ more staff and have more time. But knowing how to get from your current state to that growth place can be challenging and requires focus.

In a recent blog post by Kabbage, an alternative small business lender, I was thrilled at how articulately the author laid out key points a business owner needs to consider as their business grows. The information was presented in the context of knowing when your business needs more financing. Reading it made me smile as it was all so familiar; these five areas come up often in our Growth Advisory Program meetings.

Here are the areas Kabbage cited that often indicate a business should seek financing; they are likewise five themes that emerge and re-emerge as business owners talk with their mentors about growing their businesses:

[Read more…]