Skip to content 
Hello ambitious leaders and fellow business owners!
If your company is generating £1 to £5 million in turnover, give yourself a pat on the back. You should feel proud of reaching this milestone. But with success comes new challenges. Where do you go from here? How do you get to the next level?
I’m here to provide some real-life inspirational stories from companies just like yours. By learning from their journeys of growth, evolution, and transition, you can uncover insights and strategies to adapt on your own path to success.
This is just the start of the conversation – I’m excited to explore ideas together! Let’s keep writing your next business chapter.
Scaling Up Successfully
Pret A Manger’s Rise from Local Shop to Global Chain
Pret A Manger started small back in 1986 – just a single shop in London founded by college friends Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe. Their vision? To create handmade, natural food and bring that experience to more communities.
By focusing on fresh ingredients, in-store kitchens and building personal connections with customers and staff, Pret quickly gained a cult following. Their unique approach set them apart from typical fast food chains.
Over the next 30 years, Pret relentlessly focused on doing one thing exceptionally well – quality food, fast. This enabled them to steadily expand across London and then the UK through the 1990s and 2000s.
By 2003, Pret had 146 shops and caught the eye of McDonald’s, who made a $225 million investment to fund further expansion. With a bigger budget, Pret accelerated growth across the UK and into Hong Kong, US and France.
Today, Pret operates over 500 stores across 9 countries, serving 350,000 customers daily. Revenues topped £880 million in 2017. From a single shop to global chain, Pret never lost sight of their original craft and community-focused ethos.
Key Lessons:
Start with a clear vision and differentiate on quality
- Build strong connections with staff and customers
- Stay true to your brand identity and special sauce as you grow
- Be relentless and focused on consistently executing one thing exceptionally
No matter how big Pret gets, they remember their roots. When you’re looking to scale up, never forget the unique value you started with. It can propel you to new heights!
American Dream Nut Butter’s Road to Rapid Growth
Nick and Justin Armstrong launched American Dream Nut Butter in 2018 with a simple but powerful vision – create nut butters with amazing taste using high-quality, responsibly-sourced ingredients.
Starting from a home kitchen, the brothers experimented endlessly before settling on their flagship Classic Almond Butter. Their commitment to quality ingredients like organic California almonds quickly gained attention.
Local shops picked up their products, and word spread. Before long, they landed an unexpected deal with Whole Foods Market, growing from 30 stores to over 430 almost overnight!
While thrilled, this rapid growth risked compromising quality and their values. Rather than rushing to maximize profits, the founders focused on deliberate, sustainable expansion.
They invested in custom nut-grinding equipment and a commercial kitchen to maintain control over ingredients and small-batch production. This ensured consistency even at larger volumes.
Seven years later, American Dream continues to grow steadily via online sales and retailers like Target, Kroger, and Amazon. But despite offers from big CPG companies, they remain proudly independent.
For Nick and Justin, staying true to their brand purpose trumps rapid growth. Their authentic passion continues winning fans nationwide!
Key Lessons:
- Start with a vision focused on quality and values
- Beware growing too fast too soon
- Invest to scale up your operations responsibly
- Resist pressure to compromise for quick growth
Growth creates great opportunities but also tough choices. American Dream’s founders made strategic decisions to scale sustainably. Keep your “why” at the heart of every growth decision!
Managing Growth Smartly
Netflix’s Pivotal Evolution from DVDs to Streaming
Netflix began with a simple idea in 1997 – provide DVD movie rentals by mail. At the time, Blockbuster dominated the industry. But Netflix’s founders saw an opportunity to do things differently.
Their innovative approach of no late fees and postage-paid return envelopes appealed to many frustrated consumers. Netflix quickly gained over 1 million subscribers.
Still, the future looked uncertain in the early 2000s. Broadband internet enabled new possibilities for instant movie watching. Netflix knew the market was evolving.
In 2007, they made a bold move – introducing online video streaming while still offering DVD rentals. At the time, it was risky. Physical rentals still dominated.
But by embracing change early, Netflix tapped into the next wave. Online streaming fueled massive growth for the next decade. By 2013, their streaming library surpassed DVD offerings.
Today, Netflix has over 203 million members across 190 countries. Their willingness to cannibalize their original model and evolve positioned them for long-term success.
Key Lessons:
- Keep looking forward and identify emerging consumer needs
- Be ready to adapt your model even when current business looks solid
- Embrace change and new technologies to stay relevant
- Cannibalize existing products to build future growth engines
Netflix didn’t fear making their core offering obsolete. They disrupted themselves to keep innovating. Be ready to adapt to position your business for the future!
How Dolce Gusto Reinvigorated Nescafe’s Coffee Brand
In the 1990s, Nescafe’s instant coffee dominated grocery shelves. But their brand lacked appeal among younger consumers. Keurig and boutique coffee shops were on the rise.
Rather than relying on past success, Nescafe assessed shifting consumer needs. Younger audiences wanted quality coffee experiences at home with less waste.
In 2006, Nescafe launched Dolce Gusto – sleek single-serve brewers combined with gourmet coffee capsules, inspired by Europe’s café culture.
Moving into the single-cup market was a bold step that disrupted their traditional instant coffee model. But it allowed Nescafe to redefine convenience and quality in the minds of modern consumers.
Despite early supply challenges, Dolce Gusto became a huge hit. It revived Nescafe’s brand image as an innovator while driving global growth. By 2018, Nescafe had over 50 million Dolce Gusto customers.
Key Lessons:
- Regularly re-evaluate your business model against consumer trends
- Don’t fear cannibalizing existing products to stay relevant
- Offer new, premium experiences adapted to evolving preferences
- Leverage existing brand strengths in new, disruptive ways
Dolce Gusto’s success demonstrates the power of reimagining your business to align with where consumers are headed. Think beyond defending what exists – be ready to disrupt yourself to open new opportunities!
Crafting a Graceful Exit
MySpace’s Pivot from social media Giant to Entertainment Platform
In the early 2000s, MySpace dominated the social media world. It surpassed Google as the most visited US website in 2006! With millions of users, MySpace seemed unstoppable.
But within a few years, MySpace struggled to keep up as Facebook’s cleaner interface attracted more users starting in 2008. Despite redesign efforts, MySpace never recovered its prior growth.
By 2011, MySpace’s traffic ranked below 50th globally. Its new owner, News Corp, sold MySpace at a huge loss compared to their 2005 purchase price of $580 million.
Rather than shut down, MySpace took a savvy pivot. They refocused the platform on music, video and entertainment content targeted at Gen Z.
This strategic niche transition allowed MySpace to find renewed purpose. While no longer a leading social network, MySpace offered value to a defined audience.
Key Lessons:
- Monitor shifting consumer preferences closely
- Be ready to redefine your value proposition when needed
- Consider pivoting your model to a niche audience
- Reposition your brand around evolving strengths
MySpace couldn’t recreate their past. But their shift to entertainment content created an graceful new chapter. Read the writing on the wall and play to your strengths to craft strategic pivots.
How Kodak Transitioned from Flopped Camera Company to Major Drug Maker
Kodak was once synonymous with photography. For over a century, they pioneered film and popular cameras. But the rapid digital camera transition in the 2000s took Kodak by surprise.
Despite inventing the first digital camera in 1975, Kodak focused too much on protecting their profitable film business. By 2012, Kodak had filed for bankruptcy.
But Kodak had a lifeline – their lesser-known pharmaceuticals division. Kodak’s core knowledge in chemicals and coatings translated well to producing drug ingredients.
Kodak leaned into this capability and became a major supplier of pharmaceutical materials. This successful pivot redefined the company.
By 2019, Kodak sold its film business and became solely focused on drug ingredients, health imaging and print systems. Kodak found new purpose by amplifying untapped strengths.
Key Lessons:
- Leverage existing assets and capabilities in creative new ways
- Build around areas of strength with future potential
- Refocus and redefine your company’s identity and purpose
- Find opportunity in difficult transitions
Kodak’s bankruptcy could have spelled the end. But they transformed to find renewed success. Look within your business DNA to uncover hidden potential paths forward.
Key Takeaways
If your business is at a scaling up, growth management or transitional point, know that others have walked this path before. By learning from their real-world journeys, you can uncover what strategies may work best for your company too.
Here are some key themes to keep in mind:
Scaling Up
- Start with a differentiated quality-first vision
- Maintain close customer and staff relationships
- Stay true to your special sauce as you grow
- Focus relentlessly on consistent execution
Managing Growth
- Keep evaluating consumer needs and technology trends
- Embrace change and evolve your model decisively
- Disrupt yourself before competitors do
- Find new opportunities in brand strengths
Transitions
- Monitor preferences and redefine your value proposition
- Pivot your model to a strategic niche
- Leverage existing assets and capabilities differently
- Keep seeking purpose and potential, even in tough times
And remember, your journey doesn’t need to be lonely! I’m excited to explore strategies together for reaching those next business milestones. Let’s keep writing your success story. Onward and upward!
