David Braun

Author's posts

Less is more?

When you hear the word “grow,” you probably think of getting bigger:  having more customers, more markets, more products, or more revenue. I prefer to see growth strategy as a way to recalibrate your company, enabling you to become increasingly focused and effective. Recalibration is a continual necessity today, because economic and technological changes are …

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Seven Strategic Questions

Last week, I wrote about the importance of self-exploration. To begin your journey of self-exploration, here are seven strategic questions you may find helpful: 1)     What business are we in? 2)     What is our core competency? 3)     What are we not? 4)     Where is our pain? 5)     What are our dreams? 6)     What is our …

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Adopting a Strategic Approach

Many quite sophisticated business leaders allow themselves to drift into a purely reactive relationship to growth. They listen to whoever comes to lunch, size up whatever opportunity comes across their desk, and get caught in the lure of the deal.  There is a better way, based on a thorough understanding of your own company, and …

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Know Thyself

You’re probably reading this blog because you are ambitious for growth and are seriously considering acquisition as a way to reach your goals. External growth is exciting and it’s easy to rush into action without an adequate review of where you are coming from. This would be a mistake. Before you grow your company, you …

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From Beginning to Beginning

When I am teaching M&A, I often use the phrase ‘‘from beginning to beginning.’’ I am signaling a difference from the more familiar phrase ‘‘from beginning to end,’’ which suggests that once the deal is signed, the process is over. In my experience, the end of an M&A transaction marks the beginning of a whole …

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Choosing the Right Growth Pathway

As you move from developing the strategic foundations for growth to implementing your growth plan, think about the different pathways to growth. Choosing the right pathway for growth is considered to be the heart of business. In the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)  blog, I outline some of the strategic pathways you can take for growth, …

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Price Isn’t Everything

Are you considering an acquisition? Remember, when it comes to buying companies, especially privately held ones, the transaction is almost never about just the price. There is always something going on that falls outside the spreadsheets. Understanding that mysterious ‘‘something’’ is what can make or break your deal. The statistics are frightening. By most reckonings, …

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