As an innovative Entrepreneur, you have more control over your company’s future than other businesses do in today’s economy- including the ability to access cash for growth.
Today’ economy is challenging many business owners. No, the principles of successful entrepreneurship have not changed, but the game board has:
The size of the playing field has expanded due to globalization
The rate of success, or failure has accelerated because we operate in internet time.
Taken together that has introduced a phenomenal degree of uncertainly and volatility. But there is a positive effect as well; the scope of possibilities has increased exponentionally. Today, innovation is the key driver to build value.
That puts you- the entrepreneur – with your unique skills, in the ideal position to capitalize on today’s economy—IF you are careful to distinguish between traditional growth and proactive growth. Let me define my terms: traditional growth is when you “find” a fast growing market, jump in and then just follow its trajectory. In contrast, proactive growth is when you identify a problem, innovate a solution and design your own optimizing growth strategy. Proactive growth is what differentiates entrepreneurs to investors.
Traditional growth is very risky. You find yourself coping with all kinds of risks factors imposed from the outside and beyond your control. Today’s volatile and uncertain economy makes this reactive mode of traditional growth overwhelming and exhausting. In contrast, proactive growth actually takes advantage of dynamic market changes, as fuel!! Proactive growth is built upon what YOU do best. It leverages all your natural strengths. For an innovative entrepreneur that means your biggest risk is that of opportunity lost. A sure way to lower risk of your next growth stage is to grow proactively.
Let me offer an example. I’ve always been fascinated with what I perceive to be the transformation of the sneaker industry which today we call “athletic footwear”. A couple of decades ago, no one would say that sneakers were a hot growth opportunity. In fact the other day, I saw someone wearing a flat canvass lace up shoe and thought to myself, how uncomfortable that looks.
Well, Nike made the same observation, a few decades ago. They identified the problem of comfort for people active in every day sports. Nike experimented with waffle bottom designs used by the competitive sports professional and Nike introduced cushioned, comfort “sneakers” for the consuming public. But did not stop there with one shoe for all, but one for basket ball, one for tennis, and another for jogging, etc. And Nike continued to innovate within the industry they knew well-
Not one shoe for all, but one for each.
Can you remember how much a pair of sneakers cost back in the ‘80’s? Perhaps $10 bucks. Contrast that to how much Nike’s athletic footwear cost today: over $100.
While Nike capitalized on proactive growth strategies, a brand name in the sneaker marketplace, KEDS succumbed to the risks of traditional growth and lost its dominant position.
Pursuing an ambitious proactive growth strategy was not risky for Nike because Nike knows “sport foot comfort”. Nike has been rewarded with the transformation of a market in which they remain the leader today. Even as new entrants follow, Nike just keeps innovating and profiting from their unique understanding of a market they created.
This kind of proactive growth can position your company to access a new and exponentially higher level of business performance. Let me share the 3 predicable results of proactive growth:
1)
Exponentially higher profit from innovative energy you are already investing,
2)
Dramatically lower risk as you accelerate revenue building upon your unique strengths
3)
Enhanced shareholder wealth as you maintain control over your destiny in the face of a volatile economy.
This is what makes you attractive to cash.
Are you taking full advantage of your innovative entrepreneurial talents to pursue proactive growth to keep control over your company’s future?
Stefania Aulicino is founder president of CapitalLInkUSA. For 20 years Stefania has helped business builders uncover the right capital for their optimum growth strategy so you get cash and keep control to build the business you really want. www.CapitalLinkUSA.com
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