Breakout Briefs

Most companies enter a new year with ambitious growth goals but a sense of apprehension about whether, or how, they’ll reach them. That apprehension rarely comes from doubts about employee effort. It comes from uncertainty…and guesswork. Where are leadership’s blind spots? Are the key growth drivers (sales, marketing, brand, and culture) actually aligned? How much of the forecast is based on clarity versus guesswork? These questions open the door to friction, misalignment, an

In many small and medium businesses, marketing doesn't receive the expertise and resources it deserves. It's easy for leadership to think, "It's not that hard. We're all consumers. We see hundreds of ads a day. We know what to do to grab attention and sell." But there's a hidden trap in that thinking. When Marketing Feels Like Guesswork When familiarity is mistaken for expertise, even the best intentions of a small business marketing strategy become expensive guesswork. In th

While a strong brand serves as the foundation for growth, sales is the engine  that turns potential into performance. However, companies often view sales as a separate function rather than part of an overall system. In small and mid-sized businesses, sales and marketing alignment is often the difference between stalled or slow performance and predictable growth. Too often, companies depend on "closer" and "hard seller" personalities rather than a structured, relationship-bas