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.

Patrick Kenger

When I first started, I was focused only on doing good work and making my guys happy with their results. I had no business acumen and I figured the work would speak for itself. The truth is, you need to learn so many skills as you continue to scale and if you’re not learning to master the skills at the next level, you’re likely stuck. I started by mastering my skillset- my product offering of helping men look incredible through style. This wasn’t enough. I had to then learn the skill of marketing and sales, which can be scary for anyone new to it. The truth is, no one comes knocking on your door, you need to put yourself out there and communicate your offering in a coherent, appealing way. Read more>>

Lioness Drea

My salon is doing much better today, because I decided to train, and hire another stylist. This of course requires patience and time. I also implemented time management strategies to ensure 95% of the time, my guests get in the chair right at their scheduled appointment. For example, I allot 10-15 mins in between each appointment for me to rest, so I’m not overwhelmed and burnt out between each appointment. This time also allows me to recharge for the next guest, who will be receiving services. Read more>>

Kate the Socialite

I launched my business as a solopreneur in 2014. I was fresh out of college, newly married, and knew nothing about running a business. I only knew that I had a skill, writing, and that I hated marketing. However, two years into business I found myself drawn to marketing because I kept seeing so many ways in which it could be simplified, both financially and strategically. The specific industry I served, and still serve alongside my team to this day, includes interior designers, home stagers, professional organizers, and window treatment specialists. When I dove deep into exactly which marketing tactics were most effective for the home industry. Read more>>

Valentine Ehonwa

My story starts with me strategizing on how to invest the least amount of money and make the most. And realizing that I enjoy Real Estate, I decided to invest in properties and Rehab them. Financially I was unable to do it alone, so I had to talk to several close friends into investing into my idea. This took a lot of persuasion and I made a blueprint (diagram) of my idea to show them how things would unfold and what could potentially be coming in if everything goes as planned. I made room in the detailed plans for the unexpected, and Eventually I was able to get people on board and the real hard work began. Read more>>

Rebecca Urbano Powell

We have been incredibly fortunate in that our growth has occurred through word of mouth referrals. Almost every client we currently work with has been a direct referral from another family that is happy with our services which we feel is the highest form of compliment. Our families are “our purpose”. Every day, our team puts their heart and soul into providing ABA therapy services to our many, wonderful clients and their families and there is nothing greater than to see the positive outcomes that result from our collaboration with other providers and our families. Read more>>

Kelli Webb

Wow, that’s a heavy one for me to say that I’ve scaled up! I’ve sincerely grown more into my career and journey, and I accept that I still have a way to go before I’m able to comfortably claim that I’ve scaled up. I believe striving to maintain my faith, and no longer fighting whatever my given assignment(s) may be at that time, in order to move me into the position(s) I’m currently in and the ones destined for me to step into. Starting out not knowing what to expect, is and at times, still is a difficult journey. I can’t lie, I still question what’s my next move with some things, but the fact that I not only know what I’m doing but love it is so vital for my clients and myself. Read more>>

Romello and Roland(M.E) Truitt

10 years 10 Restaurants we are now on year eleven and we have 11. Crazy thing is … We have turned down so many opportunities out of fear of not being able to keep up but now we are on the path of not just investing in properties but investing in people. Team work really makes the dream work. We always had the scale up model ever since we were kids, example; my parents could only afford a certain amount of money for shoes for their 3 kids. Instead of settling, we decide to go work for the extra money so that we could add it to the standard budget of what was allotted for us; from then on, we had what we wanted by upgrading on what we needed. Read more>>

Jha Allen

One piece to my success in scaling my business was networking. I have a list of actions and tactics that helped me scale, but when I think of the core of those things, it was all because of the connections I made. My connections have either given me valuable information that I applied to my business or they directly helped me scale. Those connections have helped me develop my business, services and programs that I provide for my clients. From networking events to getting advice from mentors and coaches, all of it has taught me what I needed to scale. Read more>>

Miranda Olinger

I remember looking for studios in downtown Denver that was hiring for esthetician’s. This was in 2008. I found one place and they were a booth rental business only. I had zero clients and they gave me 6 months to build and put me on commission for the time being. I was so determined to do what I loved. They had a salon as well, and so I would go to each client and hand out a business card and give them a free service or a discount of some sort just to get them in the door. I remember being so excited to have a few clients on my schedule for the week, it didn’t pay the bills, but I was so eager to get a cliental. Read more>>

Amy Bales

If you are of the mindset, endeavoring to start a business will be one of the hardest things you ever do. I don’t have children, but I would liken it to having a baby. The first few years it consumes you, you have little time for anything else. Friends, even some family, may fall by the wayside. It requires a level of commitment that, well – you have to love what you are doing and maybe have just a little be of crazy in you to pull it off. When I started Bales Custom Gardening Services (BCGS) for the first few years I did all of the work myself. At the time I was actually trying to launch another business and gardening was essentially my side gig. Read more>>

Olga Sanchez

This journey started in 1997, but since I was little, I’ve always felt inspired by the infinite potential that handcrafted materials can do. My father used to be a Carpenter and a great furniture maker, so I’ve always been exposed to fine and intrinsic artistry. I started this company from scratch. I had in my team a carpenter, a blacksmith, and a finisher, and that was it. Scaling up started when we began to export our products, from Tijuana, Baja California, to various companies in southern California in the US. Then we started rising when we got our first UL certification, which positioned us in the eyesight of our competitors; this meant the world to us because it denoted that we were doing something right. Read more>>

Olivia Merrill

I have been Realtor in the Denver Metro area for almost 8 years. I started in this industry with a private school education, no college degree and very little life experience around the age of 21. I really had to dedicate a lot of time in the beginning to learning my craft and developing my skills in life and in business. For any business owner or entrepreneur, education is your best friend before you even launch your business. I spent countless hours on classes and shadowing other experienced Realtors in the business. Shortly after getting into the industry I decided to become a full-time Realtor earning income only after successfully closing a sale on behalf of my clients. Read more>>

Alexa Hesse

There’s no doubt that becoming a business owner takes a lot of grit. When I first started Yummy Lotus, it was just with a dream of wanting to work for myself and a passion for food and people. Never did I really think about the hours of building websites, tracking expenses and research it would take to find the resources I needed. I’ve created box designs, had to find people to outsource work to, built community connections and wholesale accounts. I’ve had to be vulnerable and be juried to join events. All things that when I mixed up that first batch, I just hoped someone would buy. Read more>>