The 6 Growth Anchors Every Fast-Scaling Business Needs (But Most Overlook)

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The 6 Growth Anchors Every Fast-Scaling Business Needs (But Most Overlook)

By Steve Jones | Skills for Business Training Ltd

The Problem:

Have you ever looked at your business and thought:

"Why does growth feel harder, not easier?"

You’re pushing harder.

You’ve grown the team.

The work’s pouring in.

But behind the scenes? It’s a little chaotic.

Projects stall. Margins shrink. And there’s less time than ever to think strategically.

Most business owners and CEOs hit this wall.

The good news? It’s not because you’re doing something wrong. It’s because you’re missing one or more of the six growth anchors that make fast, sustainable growth possible.

The Truth:

After helping hundreds of fast-growth businesses—from ambitious SMEs to multi-million-pound success stories—I’ve seen this pattern repeat:

Growth is only ever sustainable when six key anchors are in place.

With them? Growth becomes a system.

Without them? It’s guesswork, firefighting, and fatigue.

Let’s unpack them.

⚓ 1. Positioning: Own the space you want to lead

If you can’t clearly say what problem you solve, who you solve it for, and what you’re known for — no one else will either.

Your positioning is your business compass. It drives clarity, confidence, and relevance.

💡 Ask yourself:

• “If someone had 10 seconds to explain what we do — would they get it right?”
• “Are we known for something that truly matters to our clients?”

⚓ 2. Distribution: Get your brilliance into the world

It’s not enough to be brilliant. The world needs to experience that brilliance.

In today’s noisy world, the best businesses have a pull strategy — customers seek them out.

💡 Ask yourself:

• “Do clients come to us, or are we always chasing them?”
• “Are our people, product, and processes easily scalable and shareable?”

⚓ 3. Functionality: Make it easy to work with you

Your internal systems are either your biggest advantage — or your silent saboteur.

Functionality means your business operates like a well-oiled machine. Robust, scalable, and capable.

💡 Pressure test:

• “Are our systems fit for purpose?”
• “Can we double turnover without halving profit through inefficiency?”

If not, clunky processes, people dependencies, and operational drag will eat your margins.

⚓ 4. KPI’s: Know what good looks like

What gets measured, gets done.

Growth becomes predictable when it’s based on real data, not gut feeling.

But too many businesses measure what’s easy, not what matters.

💡 Challenge yourself:

• “Are we measuring the right things?”
• “Can everyone in the business articulate what success looks like this week, this quarter, this year?”

Clarity drives focus. And focus drives performance.

⚓ 5. Succession: Build to last, not burn out

The ultimate goal for any business owner or CEO?

To make yourself redundant.

That’s not about stepping away — it’s about stepping above.

To move from operator to orchestrator. From doer to strategist.

💡 Big question:

• “What would happen if I took a 30-day break?” Would the business grow? Pause? Or stall?

The goal is a highly systemised, profitable business with great people, loyal clients, and robust operations — where the founder can exit, sell, hand over, or act as ambassador… without being stuck in the day-to-day.

⚓ 6. Talent: The fuel that powers everything else

None of this happens without great people.

Talent is the multiplier. You need:

✅ People in the right roles

✅ Motivated teams who care

✅ A culture that attracts and retains high performers

💡 Truth: Your biggest bottleneck or breakthrough will be your people. Your job is to unlock their energy, not just manage their tasks.

And that’s where I help.

The Solution:

I work with founders and leadership teams to build cultures that scale — by embedding leadership, motivation, and strategy at every level.

Through tools like Motivational Maps, Mojo, and my signature P.R.O.F.I.T.S.™ Model, we identify hidden drag, unlock momentum, and help you become the strategic leader your business needs.

Let’s Talk

If you’re ready to stop spinning plates and start scaling intentionally, drop me a message.

I’ll show you how to align these six anchors so your business becomes more productive, more profitable, and more fulfilling — without sacrificing your sanity in the process.

👋 About Me

I’m Steve Jones — a business strategist, author, speaker, and creator of the P.R.O.F.I.T.S.™ model.

🏛 Visiting Lecturer at University of Winchester Business School | UK Government’s Help to Grow Programme

📘 Author of:

Turning on the P.R.O.F.I.T.S Tap, How to Become an Employer of Choice, Mapping Motivation for Engagement

🏆 Global Business Leadership Award Winner 2025

📩 Let’s future-proof your leadership team and ignite growth — the smart, sustainable way.

🔔 Coming Next: The 4 Traits Every Fast-Growth Business Needs in Its Leadership Team

Stay focused. Stay intentional. Stay growing.

— Steve Jones Helping you unlock purpose-led growth 📚 Author | 🎤 Speaker | 💼 Leadership Coach