If your company is targeting growth, where should you start? 

Your company should of course have a shared ambition to grow. The entrepreneur's commitment and enthusiasm are important, as are the vision and mission – where are you going and why? 

When the intent and target have been established, it is important to take a critical overall look at the company and its operation: are the basics, such as the finances, resources, competence, sales and customer acquisition, agreements, products and services, and the supply chain in proper order. Here you can use a traditional SWOT analysis for help. 

What about the famous growth bottlenecks? How should I prepare for challenges?

When you have taken your first steps on the growth path, you may be faced with various internal and external challenges. Your activities should be reorganized as the company grows or the entire package may collapse in on itself – your service security is reduced, customer satisfaction is lowered, and your personnel is exhausted. You should focus on the essentials and manage the growth.

One significant challenge on the growth path is the insufficiency of resources, i.e. money and the right type of competence. Changes in the situation of your partners can also restrict your growth. In general, you should keep in mind that growth entrepreneurship largely consists of coping with incompleteness and uncertainty. At times, the operation progresses with leaps and bounds, while on other occasions you may have to take a few steps back or remain where you are regardless of how hard you work. 

What is the best place or method for networking and finding partners for growth?

Keuke’s events are one such option. You should utilize various events and occasions for networking and finding new partners. Think of where you could find your potential partners and go there. Similarly, you can also find partners on LinkedIn, for example. 

Funding is always a question. How do you fund your growth? 

Potential options include cash flow financing and public funding provided by Business Finland, Finnvera, ELY Centres, or Horizon Europe, for example. Private financiers are also available along with various crow funding options.  

In principle, you should first ensure that your finances are in order. It is difficult to receive external funding for growth if your funds are lacking and financial indicators are in the red. It is important to have a proper growth plan and targets. These will help you define where you should seek funding from in the first place and for what purpose. 

What tools are offered by Keuke for planning and realizing growth?                           

At Keuke, we can help you with both the strategic planning and the practical challenges. We start by surveying the current situation and determining the growth objectives and strategy. We can spar with you and provide a critical opponent for your plans where necessary. Your growth journey may take various twists and turns, and you should not have to face them without help.