The ‘Grow or Die’ Lie

As a small business owner, you’ve no doubt heard the axioms regarding business growth. “Grow or die,” “Any growth is good growth,” etc. These are the mantras of Wall Street and most business schools and consultants today. However, a new book by business school professor Ed Hess entitled Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Entrepreneurial Businesses questions this widely held belief.

“At best those beliefs are half-truths and at worst they’re pure fiction,” says Hess. “Growth can be good and growth can be bad. Bigger can be good and bigger can be bad. When not approached carefully, growth can destroy value as it outstrips a company’s managerial capacity, processes, quality and financial controls, or substantially dilutes customer value propositions.”

Drawing on the examples of 12 real-life entrepreneurs, Grow to Greatness sets forth a blueprint for approaching business development and managing its risks and pace. Through the examples of such companies as Starbucks and Toyota, the reader gains valuable insight into managing growth and addressing the day-to-day challenges of growing a business.