Transferable Value: Pillar 1 (of 5)

If you’ve read our recent blog — Are You Building a Business or a Job You Can’t Leave? — you know that most small and mid-sized business (SMB) owners don’t capture the full value of what they’ve built when it’s time to step away.

The lack of a clear, actionable growth strategy is a major reason.

While most owners can describe where they want to go, few have a clear, documented vision — and even fewer have shared that vision in a way that empowers their team to take ownership and help drive progress.

In this post, we’re unpacking the first pillar of transferable value: Vision & Strategy. This isn’t about writing a mission statement for your website — it’s about giving your team the direction, clarity, and context they need to execute confidently, whether you’re in the room or not.

Vision & Strategy — Why it Matters More Than Ever

A strong vision defines where the business is going. An effective strategy defines how you’ll get there — and what success looks like.

When you’re a small team, proximity and personality may be sufficient.

But as your business grows, your time, visibility, and decision-making quickly constrain your reach. That’s where a clear strategy becomes essential.

A well-defined vision and strategy:

• Informs your team what matters — and what doesn’t

• Aligns your leadership team, reduces uncertainty, and accelerates decisions

• Frees you to focus on higher-leverage growth opportunities

The U.S. Army teaches this concept to its officer corps as the Commander’s Intent. By communicating a clear description of the desired end state, commanders give their teams the understanding needed to make effective, timely decisions when battlefield conditions change. It empowers leadership at every level — avoiding bottlenecks of micromanagement.

The same is true in business. Without a shared understanding of where you’re headed, your team can’t make confident, aligned decisions when conditions shift — and they will.

But do you really need a business plan?

The impact of effective business planning on SMB growth is well documented. A quick Google search provides two examples:

• Companies with written business plans grow 30% faster (Journal of Management Studies)

• 71% of high-growth companies have some form of strategy, business, or long-range planning in place (Journal of Small Business Management)

The uncomfortable truth

Still, we often hear from SMB owners who are satisfied with current profits that they don’t believe a growth strategy — especially a documented one — is necessary.

In fact, SCORE and Constant Contact surveys report that:

• 49% of SMBs operate without a documented growth strategy

• Most small businesses haven’t updated their strategy in over two years

But even profitable, stable businesses risk stagnation, declining performance, and reduced value when they stop actively planning for growth.

Whether it's scaling operations to increase revenue or building capabilities to stay competitive, a growth strategy supports long-term success in areas like:

• Resilience: Adaptability in the face of market shifts, new competitors, or client turnover

• Value: Maximizing the return on your business when you sell or step back

• Team retention: Creating a forward-looking culture that attracts and retains strong talent

Case Study: A SaaS Company without a North Star

We worked with a founder-led SaaS company that was rapidly losing control of its business model.

• The product roadmap was reactive — shaped by the loudest customers

• Support, sales, and development were pulling in different directions

• A key strategic partner was ready to walk due to inconsistent service and positioning

Talent or effort wasn't the issue— it was a lack of strategic focus and alignment.

Once we helped the owner clarify their vision and develop a focused strategy that aligned with targeted market segments and goals, everything shifted:

• The partner relationship was repaired and strengthened

• Product development became intentional, not reactionary

• Teams understood and mutually supported execution

The business was soon positioned for a successful sale — and at a value that would not have been possible before.

What a Strong Vision & Strategy Should Include

Vision is your destination — it’s what success looks like in 3–5 years. It should be clear, build excitement, and guide decision-making.

Your Strategy is how you’ll win:

• What customer and market segments you serve — and won’t serve

• How you create value for your customers — and how it’s different from competitors

• Which capabilities you’ll invest in

• Your top 3–5 strategic priorities

Your strategy guides the business. But a documented plan — the version your team executes — breaks it down into goals, initiatives, and metrics. It should be readily available and easy to use — actionable, measurable, and communicated frequently.

How to Build a Growth Strategy (When You’re Already Busy)

You don’t need a 50-page strategic plan. You need clarity.

Here’s a good way to start:

1. Schedule a half-day offsite or session — no email, no distractions

2. Clarify your vision — Where do you want to be in 3 years?

3. Map your markets and ideal clients — Who are you best built to serve? And what, who, and where won’t you serve?

4. Choose your priorities — What 3 things must go right this year?

5. Define your growth drivers — What levers will get you there? And what metrics will tell you when you do?

Bring your leadership team into the process. Strategy built in a vacuum fails. Strategy built with ownership and visibility wins.

How Often Should You Review Your Strategy?

• Quarterly: Review top priorities and metrics

• Annually: Refresh vision, assess progress, and reset goals

• Ongoing: Re-communicate priorities and check alignment across the team

We recommend integrating strategy reviews into your financial planning and team development rhythms.

Red Flags That You’re Leading Without a Strategy

• You’re making all the major decisions yourself

• Your team can’t name the company’s top 3 priorities...

• ...and constantly needs you to resolve competing demands

• Initiatives are started and stopped without clear criteria

• Revenue is flat or unpredictable

• You’re stuck in the weeds more than 50% of the time

If these sound familiar, don’t panic. This is an opportunity to step back and re-anchor your business around a clear direction.

Quick Wins to Get Started

• Write down your top 3 growth priorities for the year

• Ask your leadership team how they support those goals

• Schedule a quarterly strategic review — even just 60 minutes

• Download the HGP Owner’s Guide to build a business that runs without you

Final Thought: Vision Isn’t a Luxury — It’s a Leadership Responsibility

If you want your business to thrive without you — whether next year or five years from now — it starts with giving your team the clarity and confidence to execute without needing your constant direction.

And that starts with a strategy.

Let’s build it.

📥 Download the Owner’s Guide to Building a Business That Runs Without You
📞 Schedule a complimentary 30-minute consult to talk through your strategy
🌐 www.hgpgrowth.com | ✉️ info@hgpgrowth.com