Our Bold Vision
Growth at all costs is not the way.
For too long, companies have been running full speed into a brick wall using unsustainable go-to-market models and outdated approaches in an attempt to scale quickly.
Many have lost the plot when it comes to the human factor. Clients, partners and suppliers have grown frustrated and found better business relationships elsewhere. Narrow-minded approaches to solving big problems resulted in shutting employees out from generating new ideas, causing them to leave.
The result? Companies experience a growth plateau, a downturn in revenue and/or profit, or worse: cease existing altogether.
Why did this happen? Fear and greed, mostly. And a loss of trust.
A disconnect in values. We at Budbreak Growth believe there is a
better way.
And we call it TEACH.
Principle One:
Transparency
Numbered are the days of opaque decision-making and backroom deals. Companies should operate in the clear. We must conduct business with integrity and pride. Our first core principle driving our vision for the future is Transparency, and it is the foundation on which a trusted business is built.
Humans buy from other humans they trust. Whether those transactions are happening between two Global 50 companies or amongst small business owners, humans are still in the loop. At least for a little while longer.
And while we humans remain in the loop, transparency and trust will allow us to form and sustain meaningful connections for years to come.
Principle Two:
Empathy
We believe the best way to build on a business foundation of transparency and trust is by understanding the human behind the interaction.
The tenured employee that is juggling multiple responsibilities at home and work will remain loyal to your company, as long as you take the time to understand their unique situation.
Your most strategic client will stay in your revenue orbit if you listen and understand where they are in their corporate journey. These activities come from Empathy, our next core principle.
Combining transparency and empathy will solidify your trust foundation, provide a reliable channel through which human connection is made, and allow you to scale a culture towards what Will Guidara calls “Unreasonable Hospitality” in the book of the same name.
Principle Three:
Authenticity
Go above and beyond. Surprise and delight your clients, employees, and partners.
Tiny noticeable things can go a long way. If they are real.
You provide this “realness” by conducting yourself with Authenticity. Activating this principle within a company allows a leadership team and every employee to present themselves as their true selves. There is no better way to build a sustainable business than by conducting it in an authentic manner.
Authenticity is the bass player of the trust jazz trio: acting as the heartbeat of the group and guiding us in our trust journey.
The world is filled with businesses that have not followed an authentic path. These companies are playing a dangerous game: attempting to grow a company while hiding behind a thin veneer of spin marketing and meaningless noise.
Principle Four:
Curiosity
No buyer likes to be “tricked” into trusting a product or service, and it is fear of failure that has brought companies down this dark path of buyer deception.
What caused companies to feel like they had to be inauthentic in order to win business?
Was there a driving need to devise complex pricing models, complicated contract structures, and penalty systems in order to extract as much value out of every customer and employee at all costs?
They stopped being curious.
Instead of directing their limited energy and time towards durable growth and human-centered innovation, they let the loudest voice in the room win the budget battle out of fear. And that loud voice has screamed for control, formed hardened corporate structures, and grinds value out of every human that crosses their path.
But not everyone.
Some companies have made Curiosity a priority, our fourth core principle. These companies place a high-value on hiring employees who are curious problem solvers, which helps them build a culture that attracts and retains the most innovative people on the planet.
Having employees that ask “why” at a deeper level allows companies to find unique ways to solve problems. These companies expand into new markets that were previously unimaginable, and they serve their clients in a meaningful and impactful way.
We believe that curiosity is a core growth principle. And by developing a culture where everyone is empowered to ask “why”, problems seem less challenging, growth feels attainable, and everyone is aligned.
Principle Five:
Humility
Being curious is only possible because we have made a bet on ourselves. We realize nobody has all the answers. Including us.
We know that asking “why” every day at Budbreak Growth is a calling, and a key part of our identity. An operating system.
Many companies seem like they have all the answers. A lot of words are spoken, published, amplified and repeated globally. Hundreds of well-known companies hire teams of corporate communication experts and public relations consultants to “control the narrative” which has the effect of short-term damage control. Wait out the storm of the news cycle since you were first to go live with a message, however misguided.
But it’s not sustainable. Nor does this approach contribute to actual growth.
It’s hard to say when you’ve gotten it wrong.
The ego takes a big hit. Stock prices may take a hit as well. You might lose investors. The board may vote you out.
Being humble is a very human quality. And one of the hardest for high-powered leadership to maintain given the pressures they face.
By establishing a practice of Humility, our final core principle, you set the expectation that asking questions is how we all get a better understanding of a challenge.
Asking questions, admitting we don’t have all the answers, and learning from mistakes is a part of the growth and innovation engine.
It is simply how business is done.
Employees respect an honest and humble leadership team, one that has strong intentions and a will to achieve them. By setting the right tone, you attract the kind of people that share the same values. Employees, partners, and customers.
Ultimately, people will stay with you for the long run when you own the outcome. For better or for worse, you own it.
And most importantly, you own what comes next.
Growth.
Let’s ask “why” together.