There’s a tension every founder or agency owner runs into eventually:
“We need to grow.”
“We need cash flow.”
At first glance, those goals sound aligned. But in reality, they pull in very different directions, and too often, we lump them together under the same banner of “growth.” That’s where trouble starts.
Growth vs. Funding: Two Very Different Missions
Let’s break it down:
- Growth is strategic, structured, and long-term. It’s about creating repeatable, scalable systems.
- Funding is scrappy, short-term, and about survival. It’s taking on work that keeps the lights on.
When we confuse the two, we risk skipping the most vital phase of building a sustainable business: the product development phase.
The Product Development Phase: Your Crucible
This is not the time to scale. It’s the time to refine.
You need to solve the same problem, over and over again. You need to build systems, document your delivery mechanics, test your pricing, and confirm profitability. You need to build confidence that your offer actually works, before you pour gas on the fire.
That’s how you earn the right to grow.
Sometimes, yes, you’ll take on legacy projects or custom one-offs to make ends meet. That’s fine. That’s funding. It gives you the margin to focus on something that has the potential to scale.
But growth? That needs to come later…after the engine is tested, tuned, and ready to run.
You Don’t Need More Customers Yet
“You don’t need more customers, you need more time with the ones you’ve already got.”
– Jason Fried, Basecamp
Those can be tough words to live by. Especially when you’re feeling the pressure to “scale now.”
So before you double down on sales and marketing, pause and ask:
- Are we solving a similar problem, with similar outcomes, consistently?
- Is our process tested and documented well enough to onboard someone else?
- Do we understand what makes our offer valuable and efficient AND can we communicate that clearly?
If the answer to any of those is “not yet,” then the best next move isn’t to sell harder, it’s to build smarter.
Growth Is Earned Through Mastery
Give yourself permission to sit in the development phase. Marinate in it. Refine everything.
Because when the time to grow arrives, it won’t feel like a risky leap. It’ll feel like stepping into a rhythm you’ve already rehearsed.
My Story: When Stillness Sparked Momentum
In my own agency journey, this season was forced on us. We hit a slow stretch that felt scary. But in the quiet, we finally had space to innovate intentionally.
We fine-tuned our delivery mechanics. Rebuilt systems. Tightened our positioning. And once the foundation was solid?
We scaled to several million in revenue.
(…Until we hit our next wall, but that’s a story for another day.)
So no, you’re not behind. You’re not failing.
You might just be in the exact phase you need to be in.
Embrace it. Build smart. And scale when you’re truly ready.
Sincerely,
Russel,
“The Backboard”
