25 RULES OF SCALING BUSINESS & BRANDS

Our analysis of over 100 brands combined with our own experiences revealed that there are 25 common ‘rules’ that successful scale up brands and businesses follow. Take a read and let us know what resonates.

#1

Cashflow is Oxygen. The obvious rule but obvious for a reason. All the rules that follow assume you have oxygen in the tank.

#2

Don’t scale what isn’t working. Growth exposes weakness. Nail your product, team and basics before pouring fuel on the fire. Test, learn, iterate, then scale.

#3

The product is the brand. No amount of marketing or storytelling can fix a weak product.

#4

You’re not scaling a business, you’re scaling decisions. Fix how decisions get made and who makes them. Then go faster.

#5

Focus is a multiplier. Clarity beats everything. Be brave enough to make choices and do one thing really bloody well.

#6

Category context matters. You don’t grow in a vacuum. Know the category you play in, its size and its codes. Only then can you break them

#7

Be distinct, not better. You don't win by being “the best” — you win by being recognisably you, everywhere. Distinctive assets are a component of every successful brand.

#8

Brand is your margin. Strong brands charge more. Weak brands fight on price. Invest in the brand.

#9

Consistency beats cleverness. Stop reinventing. Hammer your codes and messages. Be refreshingly consistent in how you look, sound and show up. Repetition builds memory.

#10

Get more buyers. Going after more buyers of your brand not only recruits but reminds current buyers why you are great.

#11

Do > Say. Build memorable experiences that are worth talking about. If you nail the ‘do’ people will do the saying for you.

#12

Culture compounds. Define your values. Hire slow, fire fast, and protect your values like your cashflow depends on them. It does.

#13

Your growth engine is people, not tools. Hire for hunger and attitude, coach for clarity, cut the noise and reward for outcomes.

#14

Great people attract great people. Invest in recruitment, development and retention. Set the bar and remove anyone dragging it down.

#15

Relationships scale what headcount can’t. Foster relationships and networks. These are your unfair advantages if you build them before you need them.

#16

16. Execution > strategy. No PowerPoint deck ever scaled a company. Be clear on where you are going then focus your energy in being brave & bold in execution.

#17

Test like a scientist. Launch like a pirate. Be ruthless with your learning. Scale what works. Kill what doesn’t. And move fast either way.

#18

Data’s job is to guide action, not delay it. Track what moves the needle. But never let reporting replace momentum. Because perfect data is always too late.

#19

Good process makes speed sustainable. It protects brains, budgets and bandwidth. Build systems that liberate your team — not bury them.

#20

Don’t waste time building things others already nailed. Outsource complexity. Focus on the 10% only you can do better than anyone else. Scaling demands ruthless focus.

#21

Trust the process. Scaling is messy, unpredictable, and often uncomfortable. Trust your systems. Make decisions. Move. Learn. Adjust. Momentum beats perfection.

#22

You can’t grow if you’re always reacting. Create space to breathe and think. Scaling needs perspective, not just speed.

#23

Sleep on it. Big decisions deserve 24 hours of pause. Then decide and act on it with conviction.

#24

Capital is fuel, not life support. Only raise when you know where you’re going — and how more money gets you there faster.

#25

The right outside voice changes everything. Fresh eyes spot blind spots. Get people in the room who’ve been there, done it.

ANY OF THESE 25 RULES RESONATE WITH YOU?

Whether you have a question, an idea, or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help.