When businesses are covered in the media, often there is a lot of focus on the initial idea, the genesis moment. Then they almost brush over the middle part – the scaling up part – and arrive at how big and awesome the business is today. It makes for a fun read or in the case of a movie or show an entertaining watch, but it’s also a missed opportunity. The middle part – the scaling up part is where so many small business owners get stuck. It’s the part so many of us need more guidance with and so we wanted to get conversations going on the topic of scaling up.

Zach Larmer

Young Musicians Unite (YMU) began with a powerful vision set by our founder, Sammy Gonzalez, who believed in the transformative power of music in young people’s lives. When I joined YMU, we were serving just 65 students, but we knew the potential for growth was immense. The journey from that point to now—where we work with 9,000 students weekly—was far from an overnight success. It required years of strategic planning, adaptability, and relentless commitment to our mission. Our early growth was fueled by grassroots support from individual donors, community-driven events, and partnerships with key advocates of our mission. Long-term collaborations with leaders like Dan Lewis and his Arts Access project, coupled with multi-year grants from organizations like The Children’s Trust, provided the critical foundation to scale. Meaningful partnerships with renowned brands such as Gibson and Fender, who made significant equipment donations, also gave us the resources needed to grow. Read more>>

Trish Hammerl

It all started in my home kitchen, where I began baking for friends and family shortly after the birth of my son. What started as a hobby quickly grew into a full-fledged passion. I was determined to get my sweets into as many hands as possible, believing that if people could just taste my treats, they’d love them. So, I started baking for anyone I could—friends, acquaintances, and anyone who would take a bite. Word spread, and I knew I had something special, but I also knew that getting my product in front of people was key. After about a year of baking from home, I made a bold decision: I quit my full-time job and decided to go all-in on my business. I registered my kitchen, formed an LLC, and began baking professionally. I quickly realized that if I wanted to grow, I needed to market myself and my products. So, I took countless marketing courses and learned everything I could about building a brand and connecting with customers. But despite all the education, my approach remained the same—I believed the best way to grow was by letting my sweets speak for themselves. If I could get people to try my products, they’d keep coming back. Read more>>

Savannah Moss

When I started the business, gaining customers was challenging due to a lack of brand recognition at farmers’ markets and festivals. Initially, we sold all our products to family and friends that my mom had informed about the business. However, through our persistence in attending various markets and events, we have successfully scaled up and acquired repeat customers. My brother and I have also implemented sales tactics to spark interest in our candles, which piques the curiosity of most people we meet. Additionally, by networking and establishing relationships, we have secured large orders that have helped spread our brand name. Read more>>

Ashley Deland

Success can sometimes look shiny and instant from the outside, but it’s very different when you’re in the thick of it. For me, scaling my business wasn’t about one single, transformative moment. It was a journey made up of countless strategic decisions, setbacks, learning curves, and small wins that added up over time. In the beginning, I had a clear vision but a very limited resource pool. I started small, working with a handful of clients and pouring everything I had into making those projects not only succeed but exceed expectations. My first lesson was the importance of investing in relationships. In the early days, my time and energy were my greatest assets, so I leaned heavily into building trust with my clients and delivering beyond what I promised. Word-of-mouth referrals became a powerful growth tool, and soon enough, clients were coming to me because they had heard about the results I was achieving. Read more>>