Growing a company can be a tricky endeavor. On one hand, growing too quickly can spell disaster if a business hasn’t acquired enough resources or built a large enough workforce to accommodate the additional work. On the other hand, being too conscious of the risks associated with scaling can result in a business losing momentum in the market and a competitor taking root instead.
To avoid moving either too quickly or too slowly, leadership has to develop the skill of being able to read the signs and know that change is needed. Below, 15 Forbes Business Council members each share one sign that the time is right for leadership to scale up the company.
1. Your Sales Are Growing
A crucial aspect of scaling up is knowing when the time is right. As a leader, you need to weigh the risks and benefits of expanding and be able to identify the signs. For example, pay attention when you see consistent demand for your products or services. If your sales are growing and there is a sustainable market for what you offer, it might be time to take the leap and invest in expanding your business. – Michael Shribman, APS Global Partners Inc.
2. You Have A Need For More Specialized Leaders
One sign that it’s time to scale up is when the organization needs additional leadership. Adding specialized leaders into the IT, finance, legal and sales departments for anticipated growth can help avoid surpassing management capacity, but be careful of leaving the company vulnerable. Triggering this investment too soon can increase the burden of costs without immediate ROI. Balance timing with incentive-laden compensation packages, align short-term costs with budget constraints and ensure key managers’ goals align with company objectives. – Joe Monaghan, Worldwide Logistics Group
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3. Employees Are Seeking Out Growth Opportunities
A boat that is not actively trying to move upstream will move downstream. Similarly, a company that is not trying to scale could very easily be left behind. One important factor to look at when growing are your employees. People want the opportunity to grow and to have the potential to achieve higher earnings and personal growth. Oftentimes, that growth only comes as the company grows. – Brady Slack, High Country Finance, LLC
4. Business Demand Exceeds Current Capacity
One sign is when demand consistently exceeds your current capacity. If you’re regularly turning away business or struggling to meet deadlines due to a lack of resources, it’s a clear indication that your company is ready for expansion. However, it’s crucial to ensure that the quality of your service or product doesn’t suffer during this growth phase. – Pedro Barboglio, Remote Team Solutions
5. Decision-Making Bottlenecks Persist
Consider scaling when you have become a decision-making bottleneck. If you’re slowing things down because you need to be “across” the details, it’s time to scale up and remove yourself from the equation. I work with a lot of founders as an investor and many founders don’t do this often enough or early enough. – Ken Shaw, Shaw Investments
6. You Need Leadership To Focus More On Operations
Scaling is required when you are focused on controlling minor things rather than focusing on implementing ideas and developing relationships to support business growth. If your company is totally dependent on your leadership and capacity to close all agreements, it is time to investigate alternative avenues of expansion and abandon certain tasks, as scaling is impossible under such conditions. – Raquel Gomes, Stafi
7. There Is An Increase In New Potential Investments
I tend to ask myself, “If I were chosen to lead this company today, what would I start to do to ensure the growth of the company?” When I can easily find opportunities to invest, it is time to make those calls. Often, leaders tend to focus on incremental growth and changes, but with this approach, one starts to see bigger scale opportunities and more bold actions to take. – Aslak de Silva, Selfly Store
8. You’re Receiving Positive Feedback And Referrals
Consistent positive feedback and referrals from existing customers are powerful indicators that it may be time to scale up. This enthusiastic support affirms your company’s readiness for growth. By leveraging this momentum, you can build on the trust and advocacy of your satisfied customers to expand reach, attract new clients and propel sustainable growth. – George Alifragis, Cyber Security Global Alliance
9. You’re Able To Keep Up With Competitors
One definite sign that it is time to scale up is when you feel you can finally stay ahead of the competition without competitors running all over you. This often happens when you have the right technology and talent that can help you seize opportunities and support growth. With the right talent, taking on more projects and taking more investment chances is possible and the business is able to more easily navigate challenges. – Anna Stella, BBSA
10. Customers Are Growing Organically
Separate the noise from the signal and follow your customers. If your client base is growing organically and profitably, then it’s time to grow. This is how you grow an enduring company. Scaling for the purpose of top-line, user or another single metric-driven growth builds a shaky company that will falter at the first economic downturn. – Ryan Crownholm, Crown Capital Adventures Inc.
11. There Is Consistent And Sustained Demand
One definite sign that it’s time for leadership to scale up the company is when there is a consistent and sustainable demand for your products or services accompanied by the resources and infrastructure to support growth. It’s crucial to strike a balance between seizing opportunities and ensuring operational readiness to navigate the path to success effectively. – Sabrina Graf, Heartbeat Consulting
12. Your Revenue Is Maxed
The biggest sign that the time is right to scale is when the company is maxed on revenue because it’s at capacity. Unless you raise prices, the only way to grow the revenue of a company at capacity is to add more. More employees, more inventory and more space leads to more revenue. Waiting to expand can cause you to miss a growth cycle that may not happen again for several years. – Chris Clear, Clear Storage Group, LLC
13. A Strong Opportunity Appears
One sign is when there is a strong market opportunity or a competitive advantage that can be capitalized on by scaling the operations. Leadership should also assess if they have a talented and dedicated team in place that can handle the increased workload and take on new responsibilities. – Beth Worthy, GMR Transcription Services, Inc.
14. Your Demand Outstrips Supply
A clear signal to scale is when demand consistently outstrips supply and you’re leaving money on the table. Remember that scaling isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon relay. Ensure you have a capable team ready to carry the baton forward, robust systems that can handle growth and a market that’s still thirsty for more. Timing is everything in scaling up, but so is strategy. It’s like chess. – Chris Kille, Payment Pilot
15. Existing Resources Are Strained
One definite sign that it’s time for leadership to scale up the company is when existing resources are consistently strained due to high demand. When the company struggles to meet customer needs and sustain growth with its current capacity, it becomes clear that scaling up is necessary for long-term success. – Trey Ferro, Spot Pet Insurance
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