You have expertise in your field. You offer needed services. You work hard to ensure excellence. You try to do the “right things” in sales and marketing. But it still feels like you’re playing a game of hide-and-seek with healthy growth.
It’s annoying. The problem isn’t a lack of a plan. Every expert seems to have their own solution. How do you know which one is right for your business?
It’s frustrating. When you pick a direction and implement, you don’t get the results that were promised. Maybe it really did work for others, but it certainly isn’t working for you.
It’s downright overwhelming. More networking, more meetings, more content, more money out the door to branding and sales firms that don’t achieve what you’ve hoped. It might lead you to question your own ability or whether you even want to stay in this business.
It doesn't have to be this way.
You can achieve healthy, consistent growth. Your business can flourish. And it shouldn’t require you to work harder than humanly possible and sacrifice your family and your sanity.
What if the problem isn’t you? What if the problem isn’t the solutions you’ve tried?
What if the problem is the diagnosis?
Forty years ago, a woman I know was diagnosed with a chronic pain condition. For decades she religiously followed her treatment plan, took her medication as prescribed, and learned everything she could about her disease. The results were inconsistent at best.
Then one day she saw a new doctor. As gently as possible the doctor broke the news to her, “You don’t have a chronic pain condition. You have something totally unrelated. And though it’s not curable, it’s very treatable. Your life is about to change.”
This could be you.
So what is the Growth Capacity Assessment™?
The Growth Capacity Assessment™ is a process for diagnosing what’s really keeping your business from healthy growth. Most of us assume that business growth is primarily related to sales and marketing. While sales and marketing can be factors, there are actually 57 different factors—only a few of which relate to sales and marketing—that affect whether and how your business experiences healthy growth. The Growth Capacity Assessment™ isolates and measures each one.
How does it work?
A good doctor won’t cavalierly prescribe antibiotics for a cough and sore throat before ensuring that the patient actually has a bacterial infection and not a virus. In the same way, it’s important to dig deeper than the presenting symptoms to identify the root cause that’s hampering your growth.
We use a combination of online questionnaires, personal interviews, focus groups, and first-hand study of business documents to create a heat map of your entire business. With these results we can quickly and easily identify what areas actually need help.
Who is this for?
This is for you if you are:
This isn't for you if you are:
A B2B firm.
Large enough to have a team (usually at least 5-10 people).
Small enough to be owner-run.
Committed to consistent healthy growth.
Looking for deep insights into what’s working and what needs help in your business.
Willing to invest a few hours of your and your team’s time over a 5-day period, and the necessary finances to get to the bottom of what’s holding you back.
A B2C firm.
A freelancer, solopreneur, or working only with contract team members.
So large that the owner has brought in a Managing Director and only touches base every so often.
Interested in a quick fix, a shot in the arm, or growth at the expense of your team members’ health.
Not willing to hear the unvarnished truth, delivered with kindness, about your current reality.
Unwilling to make the time or financial investment necessary to gain the clarity you need.
Who's running this thing?
I’m John Barcanic, Founder and Leadership Strategist of the Barcanic Group. After decades of growing leaders and organizations I realized there is an important group of people that often doesn’t get the help they need: owner-run businesses.
In the US, owner-run businesses create two out of every three new jobs. Almost half of the private workforce are employed at an owner-run firm. While large corporations may dominate headlines, owner-run businesses drive nearly half of the economic output in the US. Perhaps surprisingly, they also produce 16 times more patents per employee than larger firms. They play a critical role in advancing technology and innovation.
Yet slimmer margins, smaller teams, and tighter budgets mean it can be difficult for owners to access the resources, skills, and insights they need to grow in a healthy and sustainable way.
That’s why I focus my life-long study of leadership and strategy on helping owners and their businesses. Great companies create great communities and there are times when we all need a little help getting to great.
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FAQ
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You’ll get an objective perspective based on actual data.
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You’ll receive deep insights into the state of your business.
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You’ll gain a clear view of your business, including the big picture, the details, and how they all fit together.
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Tailored recommendations to your specific situation.
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Typically the owner will need to commit to a 2-hour meeting at the beginning of the assessment and another 2-hour meeting at the end. The time required of team members varies based on their roles and the size of the business but is rarely more than participation in a 2-hour focus group or a 20-minute online survey.
Most businesses that focus on serving other businesses will benefit from the Growth Capacity Assessment™. If you have questions about your specific situation please reach out .
Our hustle culture has led us to believe that if we just push the right buttons, success is inevitable. Unfortunately, that’s not how the real world works. Business growth starts by understanding your unique challenges and identifying a path forward.
My hunch is that you care too deeply about your business to build on anything other than a firm foundation. The Growth Capacity Assessment™ provides the objective data and understanding you need for your growth to remain.
The vast majority of other programs are like off-the-rack suits. They are designed with the assumption that most businesses of a certain size are the same. You learn the systems, use the products, receive the advice, and your business should grow. The problem is that your business isn’t the same as every other business.
If I buy a suitcoat off the rack, I have to immediately take it to my tailor before I can wear it. Why? Because my size is a perfect XXR, (no, I’m not telling you exactly what my size is. We don’t know each other that well yet) except for my arms. I’ve inherited the family curse of arms too short for my body. So, off I go to the tailor to have the sleeves adjusted.
Business growth is the same way. The clothing company may have produced a sharp suitcoat in size 42R that perfectly fits a lot of men. But there will still be many guys who need adjustments made because it doesn’t perfectly fit them. They may need the sleeves shortened, or the shoulders taken out, or XYZ.
The Growth Capacity Assessment™ doesn’t expect you to be like other businesses. It accepts you for the way you are. In the same way a bespoke tailor carefully takes all your measurements before constructing the garment, our assessment measures your businesses so you know the suitcoat will perfectly fit your situation.
Once you’ve received the results of your assessment you have three options: You can choose to ignore the results and continue along your current path. You can opt for the DIY approach, using the insights and recommendations from the assessment to implement changes. Or you can explore working with the Barcanic Group to help you take your business to the next level.
Still have questions?
Deliverables and Investment
Here’s exactly what you’ll receive.
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A heat map of your business with all 57 growth capacity factors identified and rated as to how they are helping or hindering your ability to grow.
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A growth guide explaining each of the capacity factors, your score, and why you scored the way you did on each factor.
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A set of customized recommendations for next steps including where to focus first and a list of easily available resources to help you get started.
The financial investment for the Growth Capacity Assessment™ ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 based on the size of your business.