Growth strategy is the decision about where the next dollar of effort goes: raising prices or chasing volume, a new customer segment or deeper share in an existing one, a new location, a new channel, or more capacity. Each option has a different effect on margin, cash and workload. We test them against your own numbers so you can commit to two or three moves and set the others aside deliberately.
What it is
The work answers four questions in order.
- Where do you make money now? Margin by service line and customer group, from the financial clarity work or a quick version of it.
- What can you sell more of without breaking delivery? Capacity by role and season.
- What is each option worth? Revenue, contribution, cash needed and payback for each growth move under realistic assumptions.
- What will you stop? Every strategy names the products, customers or activities that get less attention.
Who it is for
This service suits established SMBs with several possible directions and limited capacity or capital, owners preparing a plan for a lender or partner, and businesses whose growth has stalled despite steady effort. It is not designed for testing a brand-new venture; that is feasibility work.
What's included
- Option list: the growth moves on the table, written as testable statements.
- Unit economics: what one more customer, job or order is worth after direct costs, and what you can afford to pay to win one.
- Pricing review, including a volume test for any proposed price change.
- Segment analysis: which customer groups are most profitable and most likely to stay.
- Capacity check: whether delivery can absorb each option, and when you would need to hire.
- Strategy paper and workshop: two or three chosen moves, each with targets, an owner and a 90-day first step.
A worked example on pricing
Pricing is often the cheapest growth move, and the arithmetic is simple. If your contribution margin is 35% and you raise prices by 5%, you can lose up to 12.5% of volume before contribution falls: 5% ÷ (35% + 5%) = 12.5%.
The reverse is harsher. A 10% discount at the same 35% margin requires 40% more volume just to stand still: 10% ÷ (35% − 10%) = 40%. Owners who see these two numbers side by side usually look at volume-chasing differently. Our guide to price changes and volume has a full table for different margins.
What the arithmetic leaves out
The formula assumes your costs per unit stay the same and that customers react only to price. In practice a price rise often comes with a clearer offer, a minimum job size or a firmer turnaround commitment, and those choices change how customers respond. We model the formula first, then test the real reaction on a small group of new quotes before rolling a change across every customer.
Timeline
A typical engagement runs four to seven weeks: one to two weeks assembling data, two to three weeks of analysis and customer conversations, and a final workshop where options are chosen. Working sessions are held online by video call or in person.
How results are measured
Each chosen move gets a leading measure (quotes issued in the new segment, average price per job, capacity added) and a lagging measure (contribution margin, revenue from the segment). We record starting values and set 90-day and 12-month targets. Progress can be tracked in monthly reviews through implementation support.
Mistakes to avoid
- Growing the least profitable line. Volume in a 9% line adds work faster than profit.
- Discounting to win share. Check the volume arithmetic first.
- Ignoring capacity. A successful sales push that delivery cannot handle costs you customers.
- Five priorities. Small companies can usually execute two or three at once, not more.
- No stop list. A strategy that adds without removing just adds workload.
Start here
Text (604) 632-4959 or email Ali@Sedighi.ca with the two or three growth options you are weighing. The free initial consultation will tell us whether to start here or with a business diagnostic. See engagement pricing for project ranges.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a marketing plan?
No. Growth strategy decides where and how to grow: which customers, which offers, at what price and with what capacity. Marketing tactics come afterwards, and the group's marketing brands can help with those if you want them.
What if we just need more customers?
Then the strategy confirms which customers are worth more, what each new one is worth after direct costs, and how much you can afford to spend acquiring one. That answer usually changes which channels make sense.
Do you do market research?
We use your own sales, quote and margin data first, then public sources and short customer interviews where needed. Large surveys are rarely necessary for an established SMB.
How long does it take?
Typically four to seven weeks, depending on the number of options to test and how much data needs to be assembled.