7 Growth Roadblocks You Can’t Afford to Ignore

In partnership with

Hey it’s David,

One of the topics that generates a lot of questions for us relates to the challenges of business growth. Growth stalls for a reason, it’s rarely just one thing and identifying it is a problem.

In this newsletter, we’ll take a hard look at what’s potentially holding your business back and try to help you clear the path to real progress for the new year.

Long Angle: Where HNW Investors Access Institutional-Grade Alternative Investments

Long Angle is a private, vetted community that connects high-net-worth entrepreneurs and executives with institutional-grade alternative investments.

Leveraging collective expertise and scale, members access top-tier opportunities across private equity, private credit, search funds, litigation finance, energy, hedge funds, secondaries, and more.

Investing hundreds of millions of dollars each year, Long Angle negotiates preferential terms and exclusive allocations.

No membership fees.

Join Long Angle Today

Avoiding Turbulence on the Path to Growth

This week’s flight turned into an unexpected strategy session… again. There’s something about 30,000 feet that gets people talking, and this time my seatmate was deep in the weeds of growth challenges.

Their B2B business had hit a wall, and the frustration was palpable. “It feels like we’re pushing, but nothing’s moving. What’s holding us back?”

It’s a familiar story. Growth doesn’t stall for no reason, it’s usually a mix of hidden bottlenecks, missed alignment, and scattered focus.

We spent the flight unpacking it, and here are the highlights:

Team Misalignment 

If your teams aren’t aligned, your growth plans are dead on arrival. In M&A, we call it due diligence; in your business, it’s making sure everyone’s on the same page.

Bottom Line: Think of your company as an orchestra; if each musician plays their own tune, you get noise instead of a symphonic sound.

Data Bottlenecks

In the M&A world, decisions run on speed and precision. If your data isn’t accessible in real time, you’re crawling while competitors are sprinting.

Bottom Line: It's like trying to drive a car with outdated GPS, you'll miss turns and arrive late.

Clunky Forecasting

Missed targets and sluggish forecasts are growth killers. Streamline your forecasting process to seize big opportunities when they arise.

Bottom Line: Using clunky forecasting tools is like sailing with torn sails... and do torn sails lead to desired destinations?

Weak Lead Quality

A pipeline packed with unqualified leads is a time suck. In deal-making, it’s like chasing deals that’ll never close.

Bottom Line: Stop casting your net in empty waters. Focus on the right opportunities for a better ROI.

Retention Neglect

Chasing new customers while ignoring existing ones? Rookie move. Retention fuels sustainable, long-term growth. Keep your current clients close.

Bottom Line: It's cheaper to water the plants you have than to buy new ones every season.

Disconnected Customer Journeys

A seamless customer experience isn't optional... it's mandatory. If the journey is disjointed, don't expect clients to stick around.

Bottom Line: Pop quiz...Imagine shopping in a store where the aisles are randomly organized. Do you stop and try to get it organized or do you leave in frustration?

Underused Analytics 

Data is the new oil, but it's worthless unless refined into actionable insights. Dive deep into your analytics or watch competitors pass you by.

Bottom Line: As illogical as this one sounds, I've seen it occur numerous times. Having data and not using it is like owning a sports car but never taking it out of the garage.

Final Descent: The Path Forward

Growth, like deal-making, requires two things:

1. The right people

2. A shared, crystal-clear vision

Strong leadership aligns teams, eliminates friction, and sets the stage for acceleration. Growth stalls are opportunities to reassess, realign, and relaunch.

By the time the plane landed, my seatmate had his next steps mapped out. Hopefully, this list does the same for you.

In Partnership With:

AI-powered on-brand ad generation

• Improve your digital advertising workflow by resizing ads across multiple sizes with just one click

• Slay deadlines and effortlessly impress clients with always on-brand visuals

• Unlock 10x efficiency and 50% more ROI on your ad creatives

Check it out for free

What’s your next step? Let’s make it a smart one.

David