the genius of the &

This week, I spoke 4 entrepreneurs, each pushing the boundaries of the conventional in their own way, and I discovered a fascinating world of growth challenges. The first, a kind of digital wizard, is balancing growth and quality of the developed software – he doesn’t want his software to collapse like a house of cards at the slightest gust of wind. The second, a true cultural architect of his company, seeks growth without losing the carefully built company culture, as if trying to preserve a family heirloom in a rapidly changing world. The third, a strategic chess player, looks to expand his empire through m&a, without mortgaging his financial fortress (read: raising external capital). And then there’s the fourth, a true wizard in corporate transparency, who plays his cards openly; in his company, everything is transparent (including the salary policy), without letting confidential information hit the street.

What’s at the core of these stories? It’s about balancing on the tightrope of growth while staying true to oneself, blending old certainties with new opportunities, and striving for ambition without losing your head in the clouds. Welcome to the realm of the ‘Genius of &’, where juggling apparent contradictions becomes an art form. The ‘Genius of &’ is the concept of harmonizing dualities for sustainable business growth, seeking the balance between expansion and preservation, between innovation and tradition, between ambition and realism, and between creativity and discipline.

Jim Collins, who has spent 25 years delving deeply into the mysteries of business growth, reveals a simple truth: it’s all about choice and discipline. Collins emphasizes – and not without reason – that it’s not solely fiery ambition that makes a company successful. It’s the art of consistent action and persisting in that ambition.

When it comes to voicing goals out loud, many of us resemble thoughtful chess players, meticulously planning our next move, aware of the risks but also of the potential. It’s tempting to remain modest, ready to surprise everyone with an unexpected victory. But here lies a pitfall. It’s crucial to commit yourself to those grand, intimidating, 10x goals, to set your own Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs).

So, the choice is yours: do you go for gold or opt for the safe, comfortable stance? It may seem simple enough to say, ‘Let’s grow by 300% this year.’ But this is more than just setting a challenging goal. It’s holding on to that dream, with the determination of a marathon runner who sees the finish line in sight and has always dreamed of that record time. And it requires the discipline not to get distracted, not to walk to the fridge every time things get tough, but to remain focused and driven on the path to success.

The secret to true growth lies in embracing duality in business strategies. Visionary companies don’t play a short-term game, nor solely a long-term one; their art is to masterfully score in both fields.

Leading growth companies have, knowingly or not, perfected the art of this balance. They are like acrobats on a tightrope, preserving their core values while boldly exploring new horizons. The result? Sustainable growth that is both impressive and reliable.

This dance of duality is deeply intertwined with making strategic choices. It’s about carefully allocating resources, choosing focus areas, and timing innovative leaps without losing the stability that serves as a foundation. Choosing is not passé; it’s essential. It’s opting for ‘and’ instead of ‘or’. It’s transforming a company into a fantastic place to work while also making tough choices about who doesn’t fit into that culture. 

I challenge every entrepreneur, every business leader, to think about how you can integrate this magic of ‘&’ into your own organization. Your bold choices, backed by ironclad discipline, can also unleash the desired dynamics in your company with this growth strategy. Step into the world of ‘&’, where juggling contradictions is not only possible but also the key to success.