I remember March 2000 when the dotcom economy collapsed. What had started back in 1969 as ARPANET, had grown into what people called the Internet and the early adopters had jumped on this new technology with a vengeance. Dot Com companies sprung out of nowhere, backed by venture capitalists who wasted no time funding startups that had little if any business plan or vision.
Our company had already been around for several years, and it had grown with this new trend. As a technology savvy company, we were quick to move from a simple FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site to creating a full blown website and offering our expertise to our clients who wanted to become ‘Internet-based’. I remember my sales manager at the time had said to me ‘we could create a totally new revenue stream by simply coming up with dot com names and selling them to the highest bidder.’ I should have listened!
With no real strategy, and a non-proven concept – Content WAS NOT King back then – the entire platform collapsed, plunging hundreds of companies into bankruptcy, leaving thousands of people scrambling for work. Our company was left with high receivables and inevitably not getting paid from some of these companies. We survived, but it was a painful time to be in business. Hindsight, as they say, is 20-20.
In order to stay ahead of their growth curve, companies need the ability to ‘see around the corner’ and be aware of challenges and opportunities. They need to be able to think about their companies differently, identify problems that are holding them back or making them vulnerable. Our vulnerability was allowing our receivables to get too high and when our clients went belly-up so did their ability to pay us.
We have a tool to help CEOs ‘see around that corner’. With our business X-Ray and Stages of Growth program, we can help you recognize where you are vulnerable, what lies hidden beneath the surface of your organization that needs to be addressed.
We basically have an Early Warning System to help you navigate through some of the challenges you encounter as your company grows.
Our “Early Warning System” consists of:
- Helping you identify your top 5 challenges and make sure you are addressing your specific challenges for your current stage of growth.
- Uncovering where you are being either too Cautious (slowing down the decision-making process and missing opportunities) or being too Confident (thinking something is going to stay the same and not thinking about the consequences if it doesn’t).
- Digging deeper into the ‘root cause’ of what your real issues are. Helping you get to the TRUTH of what you need to think about differently.
The Early Warning System is the Stages of Growth™ X-Ray and/or Zeroing in on Your Company’s top challenges that may be hindering growth. These effective tools provide CEOs with the ability to ‘see around that corner’ on a regular basis.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our Early Warning System, contact us today. You can also sign up for a free document that outlines the particular challenges and issues your company may be facing at your current stage of growth.
Don’t let economic and market turmoil catch you by surprise. You can take steps now to help ensure your company survives and grows.