Most founders assume growth problems mean they’re not growing fast enough.
Sometimes the opposite is true.
Lee Waltham told me something that stuck: Brandish didn’t stall when they stopped growing — they stalled when they grew in the wrong direction.
After years of momentum, they pushed hard into Toronto. On paper, it made sense. Bigger market, more talent, and more opportunity. In reality? Endless networking, brutal competition, and a constant feeling of being out of place.
The turning point wasn’t a new tactic. It was identity.
A mentor asked Lee why they were trying to hide being from Winnipeg instead of leaning into it. That question flipped their strategy. They stopped chasing size and started chasing fit.
What followed was better, sustainable growth. Prairie-first, clearer clients, stronger culture, and a successful Edmonton merger.
Growth without identity doesn’t compound. It dilutes.
One thing to do this week:
Write down where your business is growing by default instead of by design.
Question for you:
Where are you pushing simply because it feels like the “next step”?
Next week: why brand clarity quietly fixes sales problems.
If this hit close to home, reply and tell me one growth decision you’re questioning right now.