The McKinsey Growth Pyramid

 

Every CEO wants growth. But very few know which lever to pull. The McKinsey Growth Pyramid breaks growth into seven clear pathways, from lowest risk to boldest move. Here’s how it applies to scaling a £2m–£15m business.

1. Sell more to existing customers

The easiest, safest path. Increase frequency, improve value, upsell. They already trust you.

 

2. Find new customers for your existing products

Same offer. New audiences. Often a positioning or marketing problem, not a product problem.

 

3. Add new products or services

Extend what you already do. Solve more of your customers’ problems and increase wallet share.

 

4. Change how you deliver

Subscriptions. Online delivery. Partnerships. Sometimes the biggest growth comes from changing the delivery model, not the offer.

 

5. Expand into new geographies

Take what works here and repeat it somewhere else. You’re not reinventing the wheel, just widening the road.

 

6. Change the industry structure

Acquisitions, alliances, strategic partnerships. One move can unlock scale years faster than organic growth.

 

7. Enter new markets or business models

The boldest move. High potential. High risk. The step you only take once the fundamentals are strong.

When you treat growth as a choice not a hope everything becomes clearer. Before you rush to build something new, ask yourself:

- Which growth path makes sense for right now?

- What is the lowest-risk move with the highest return?

- Do we have the capacity to support the next step?

Most businesses don’t fail to grow because of lack of ambition. They fail because they pursue the wrong type of growth at the wrong time. Be deliberate. Pick your path. That’s how you scale with control, not chaos.

Reference:

Tom Griffiths’ post on LinkedIn