Coordinating your next stage of growth

Growth planning is most useful when commercial ambition and operating capacity are considered together. Describe the opportunity, the target customer and what would need to change in the business to serve that customer well.

Map the capabilities the opportunity depends on. These may include market research, a distribution approach, marketing content, additional staff, systems or cross-border coordination. Identify the assumptions that need evidence before committing resources.

Break the plan into decisions rather than a long list of activities. For each decision, record the information needed, the person responsible and the point at which you will review progress.

A staged approach can help teams learn before expanding the scope. Commercial results are not guaranteed, and any legal, tax, employment or licensing implications should be reviewed for the particular business.