As CEO, my job is to always be looking at what’s next: reading, listening, and asking questions of those around me who have a more in-depth understanding of important topics. Most CEOs or business owners, if not all, worry about growth to some extent. For me, my concern is not just about ensuring our revenues continue to rise, but that we grow in a strategic and manageable way.
Growth means expanding our offerings, investing in new markets and new technology, recruiting new talent, and leveraging the expertise of our seasoned associates to educate and inspire the next generation. Without growth, we lose access to those opportunities and risk our competitive advantage. There are many developments happening in our industry and the world in general, right now, that can power significant growth. Pursuing growth in the right ways for the firm is always on my mind.
The current pace of change in our world is faster than ever. It will never be slower than it is right now. We’ve seen a perfect example of that with AI. These tools represent an opportunity for our associates to be more efficient in their routine tasks so they can focus more on client engagement and relationship building that ultimately helps enhance the associate and client experience. By leveraging AI for our day-to-day work, we are able to devote more of our time to supporting clients, which leads to more satisfied clients and more engaged associates, both of which ultimately lead to more growth.
Our industry is also experiencing a rise in activity related to mergers and acquisitions. This is an alternate way to achieve growth goals for many firms. Being successful with this approach requires thoughtful integration into a firm’s culture, balancing progress while honoring the organization’s core values. The benefits are many, such as gaining experienced talent, being able to provide new services, and, of course, more opportunities to increase revenue.
Our ability to adapt, as much as anything else, is what will drive us forward. We have the talent, the right strategies, and capabilities to meet our clients’ needs now and in the future. Ensuring we grow in a way that is sustainable and in alignment with our culture is where I am focusing my efforts.
