Why do most growth companies stop growing? And what can their leaders do to overcome the barriers to growth? The Curve Ahead tackles these questions, filling a void in the literature on innovation and growth strategy that has focused on either start-ups or large public companies. Growth companies are different. Their challenge is to transition from entrepreneurial focus to a repeatable process for innovation and sustained growth - and the stakes are high.
The Curve Ahea d utilizes the power of storytelling to teach growth company leaders how to sustain long-term growth. Using the example of a "gazelle," a high-growth company that is increasing revenue by at least 20% annually for four years or more, this book explores the struggles faced during business growth - something that plagues many businesses. These mid-size companies, typically with annual revenues of $10 million to $100 million, are the engines of economic growth and wealth creation. Tragically, most fall behind the curve before they reach their potential and are sold by investors too ready to throw in the towel.
This book doesn't just lay out a fresh approach to innovation and growth strategy. It also helps professionals and business leaders avoid common pitfalls by illustrating the various ways in which growth companies get stuck and flame out. Author Dave Power then tells leaders how to get un-stuck. In addition to a myriad of real-world stories and case studies, each chapter of The Curve Ahead begins with the story of a fictional company called NaviMark. Navimark is emblematic of many growth companies it faces the same business problems, personal challenges and strategic dilemmas encountered by Power in his 25 years managing, investing in and advising growth companies. Following Navimark throughout the book allows Power to provide a highly complex model of typical struggles and scenarios faced by growth companies and deliver that story to his readers in an extremely edifying, play-by-play manner. The strategy allows readers to follow along observing, in real time, the way that Navimark evolves, and responds (correctly or incorrectly) to external obstacles and demands.
This practical and fast-paced book uses realistic characters, dialogue, and business settings to:
Help readers anticipate the predictable challenges of business model maturity.
Demonstrate proven tools and approaches for overcoming the barriers to growth.
Translate abstract concepts about innovation into actionable programs that can become a part of the rhythm of the business.
This book will help thousands of midsized companies overcome the growth hump by providing the tools necessary to not only succeed but thrive in the future.
The Curve Ahead provides a roadmap for leaders who want to sustain growth over the long term. This roadmap is based on five premises:
1. Every business model matures, following the familiar S-Curve.
2. You can and must stretch the S-Curve, but that won't work forever.
3. To sustain growth you need to find the next S-Curve
4. Finding your next S-Curve, with some predictability, requires an innovation process, something every company should have in place.
5. Driving innovation while keeping the core business healthy is the responsibility of leaders.
The Curve Ahea d utilizes the power of storytelling to teach growth company leaders how to sustain long-term growth. Using the example of a "gazelle," a high-growth company that is increasing revenue by at least 20% annually for four years or more, this book explores the struggles faced during business growth - something that plagues many businesses. These mid-size companies, typically with annual revenues of $10 million to $100 million, are the engines of economic growth and wealth creation. Tragically, most fall behind the curve before they reach their potential and are sold by investors too ready to throw in the towel.
This book doesn't just lay out a fresh approach to innovation and growth strategy. It also helps professionals and business leaders avoid common pitfalls by illustrating the various ways in which growth companies get stuck and flame out. Author Dave Power then tells leaders how to get un-stuck. In addition to a myriad of real-world stories and case studies, each chapter of The Curve Ahead begins with the story of a fictional company called NaviMark. Navimark is emblematic of many growth companies it faces the same business problems, personal challenges and strategic dilemmas encountered by Power in his 25 years managing, investing in and advising growth companies. Following Navimark throughout the book allows Power to provide a highly complex model of typical struggles and scenarios faced by growth companies and deliver that story to his readers in an extremely edifying, play-by-play manner. The strategy allows readers to follow along observing, in real time, the way that Navimark evolves, and responds (correctly or incorrectly) to external obstacles and demands.
This practical and fast-paced book uses realistic characters, dialogue, and business settings to:
Help readers anticipate the predictable challenges of business model maturity.
Demonstrate proven tools and approaches for overcoming the barriers to growth.
Translate abstract concepts about innovation into actionable programs that can become a part of the rhythm of the business.
This book will help thousands of midsized companies overcome the growth hump by providing the tools necessary to not only succeed but thrive in the future.
The Curve Ahead provides a roadmap for leaders who want to sustain growth over the long term. This roadmap is based on five premises:
1. Every business model matures, following the familiar S-Curve.
2. You can and must stretch the S-Curve, but that won't work forever.
3. To sustain growth you need to find the next S-Curve
4. Finding your next S-Curve, with some predictability, requires an innovation process, something every company should have in place.
5. Driving innovation while keeping the core business healthy is the responsibility of leaders.
"The Curve Ahead is unique book that focuses on the growth challenges of mid-sized companies. Dave Power draws on a lifetime of experiences to show growth company leaders how to sustain growth over time by building innovation into the rhythm of business operations.' - Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google
'Successful growth companies never stop searching for the next innovation. Entrepreneurs who want to build more than a one-product company need to read The Curve Ahead.' - Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures
'The Curve Ahead should be a guidance system for all entrepreneurs who have seen early success but must now scale their company to fulfill their original dreams. Dave has worked with several of my portfolio companies and I have seen how his approach can produce powerful, measurable, and lasting results.' - Larry Bohn, Managing Director, General Catalyst Partners
'A 'must read" for the CEO that discovers that the engine that fueled early stage rocket ship growth is slowing down.' - Janet Kraus, CEO, Peach Underneath, and Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School
'It is a Have Lunch or Be Lunch world out there. The Curve Ahead reveals what the most successful CEOs have learned: you need to find your next S-Curve if you want to keep growing.' - Scott McNealy, Chairman of Wayin and Former CEO of Sun Microsystems
'Dave Power's The Curve Ahead gives us a thoughtful presentation and an excellent practical guide to keeping new companies on their growth path as well as helping re-invigorate companies that have stumbled on the way. Dave reminds us all that continued growth always involves anticipating what will make you successful in the future and then doing the work across the organization - to make that future actually happen.' - Joe Lassiter, Faculty Chair of the Harvard Innovation Lab and Heinz Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School
'The Curve Ahead lays out a powerful framework for creating sustainable growth [Dave] Power draws on a 25 year career as an executive, investor and advisor to growth businesses to provide a thoughtful and compelling roadmap for growth company managers confronting the challenge of driving new growth opportunities!' - John G. Hayes, Great Hill Partners
'Successful growth companies never stop searching for the next innovation. Entrepreneurs who want to build more than a one-product company need to read The Curve Ahead.' - Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures
'The Curve Ahead should be a guidance system for all entrepreneurs who have seen early success but must now scale their company to fulfill their original dreams. Dave has worked with several of my portfolio companies and I have seen how his approach can produce powerful, measurable, and lasting results.' - Larry Bohn, Managing Director, General Catalyst Partners
'A 'must read" for the CEO that discovers that the engine that fueled early stage rocket ship growth is slowing down.' - Janet Kraus, CEO, Peach Underneath, and Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School
'It is a Have Lunch or Be Lunch world out there. The Curve Ahead reveals what the most successful CEOs have learned: you need to find your next S-Curve if you want to keep growing.' - Scott McNealy, Chairman of Wayin and Former CEO of Sun Microsystems
'Dave Power's The Curve Ahead gives us a thoughtful presentation and an excellent practical guide to keeping new companies on their growth path as well as helping re-invigorate companies that have stumbled on the way. Dave reminds us all that continued growth always involves anticipating what will make you successful in the future and then doing the work across the organization - to make that future actually happen.' - Joe Lassiter, Faculty Chair of the Harvard Innovation Lab and Heinz Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School
'The Curve Ahead lays out a powerful framework for creating sustainable growth [Dave] Power draws on a 25 year career as an executive, investor and advisor to growth businesses to provide a thoughtful and compelling roadmap for growth company managers confronting the challenge of driving new growth opportunities!' - John G. Hayes, Great Hill Partners