Cliff Farrah - Growing the Top Line

1 Cover

2 Title Page Four Key Questions and the Proven Process for Scaling Your Business GROWING THE TOP LINE CLIFF FARRAH

3 Copyright

4 Dedication

5 Introduction Growth Strategy: What It Is and Why Companies Fail at It

6 Chapter 1: The Growth Matrix and the Four Key Questions Customers Goods and Services The Revenue Matrix The Four Key Questions: Customers

7 Chapter 2: Which CUSTOMERS Will I Serve?

8 Chapter 3: Which GEOGRAPHIES AND LOCATIONS Will I Serve? Notes

9 Chapter 4: What GOODS AND SERVICES Will I Sell? Note

10 Chapter 5: What BUSINESS MODEL Will I Use?

11 Chapter 6: The Growth Framework: The 16 Ways a Company Can Grow Growth Pathways Defined Some Examples to Consider Notes

12 Chapter 7: The Process Overview: How to Build a Growth Strategy

13 Chapter 8: Creating the Team The Three Critical Groups On Trusting Your Gut Necessary Grit

14 Chapter 9: Defining Business Objectives Financial Objectives Timing Objectives Value Rules of Engagement Strategic Objectives

15 Chapter 10: Internal Assessment Who You Are What Are Your Corporate Values? Can You Pursue Inorganic Growth? How Flexible Is Your Business Model?

16 Chapter 11: External Assessment Political Factors Economic Factors Customer Analysis Customer Acquisition Models – or How Clients Buy Competitor Assessment

17 Chapter 12: Select Growth Pathways Step 1: Pre‐distribute the Four Key Questions Worksheet Step 2: Bottom‐Up Growth Framework Drill Step 3: Share the Results Principles of Use

18 Chapter 13: Select Strategies Strategy Development Classics to Consider

19 Chapter 14: Model Returns Model Revenues Model Direct Costs Assessing the Outcome Iterative Loop

20 Chapter 15: Map Strategy to a Timeline Harmonograms Disruption of Existing Initiatives Hiring Needs Flawed Financial Modeling Once You Complete This Step, You Have Finished!

21 Chapter 16: Navigating in a Storm: Growth in a COVID World Your Existing Assumptions Are Likely Wrong You Probably Don’t Know How to Talk to Your Customer Anymore Supply Chains Are Suffering It’s a Buyers’ Market Revenue Opportunity Will Align with Government Investment Successful Growth Becomes a Relative Metric Work from Home Educate from Home Remote Healthcare The New New of Food Service Planning for the Recovery Applying These Rules with the Framework Notes

22 Conclusion

23 Acknowledgments

24 Index

25 End User License Agreement

1 Cover

2 Table of Contents

3 Begin Reading

1 Chapter 1 FIGURE 1.1 The Revenue Matrix

2 Chapter 6FIGURE 6.1 Growth FrameworkFIGURE 6.2 Growth Framework Output: Fortune 500 CompanyFIGURE 6.3 Growth Framework Output: Start‐up

3 Chapter 7FIGURE 7.1 Beacon’s Growth Strategy Development Process

4 Chapter 12FIGURE 12.1 Growth Framework OutputFIGURE 12.2 Total Revenues by Growth PathwayFIGURE 12.3 Revenue ModelFIGURE 12.4 Total Revenues per Plan YearFIGURE 12.5 Revenues by Growth Pathway by Year

5 Chapter 14FIGURE 14.1 Growth Framework OutputFIGURE 14.2 Total Revenues by Growth PathwayFIGURE 14.3 Revenue ModelFIGURE 14.4 Total Revenues per Plan YearFIGURE 14.5 Revenues by Growth Pathway by Year

6 Chapter 15FIGURE 15.1 Gantt Chart Mapping Strategies and Tactics along a Timeline

7 Chapter 16FIGURE 16.1 The Full Growth Strategy FrameworkFIGURE 16.2 Beacon’s Pandemic Framework

1 Chapter 14Table 14.1 Growth Pathway ROI ModelTable 14.2 Growth Pathway ROI Model ResultsTable 14.3 Growth Pathway ROI Model (Pathway 14)Table 14.4 Growth Pathway Profit Model

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“Finally, a book from Cliff Farrah! Growing the Top Line is not to be missed. A fresh and simple framework to effective strategy by one of the greatest modern practitioners. A must read with Cliff’s humble style throughout.”

John Seebeck, Vice President and GM, eCommerce, CDW

“The combination of experience, discipline, drive, strategy, customer orientation, vision, trust, and execution are rare combinations in a person, but embodied in Cliff. This is reflected in the work he does as well as the talent he attracts and grows. Based on this alone, I would be surprised that anyone could resist the desire to read Growing the Top Line . Insights based on this type of talent are hard to come by.”

Frank Soqui, Vice President and GM Desktop, Workstation and Channel Group, Intel Corporation

“I have known and experienced Cliff Farrah’s approach to growth strategy for twenty‐plus years. I can say with confidence that he is truly a national treasure when it comes to growing companies—his expertise is unmatched. Growing the Top Line is a ‘how‐to’ for anyone serious about growth using a structured process and strategy framework that set the parameters for success. For defense contractors, this book should be required reading. Enjoy.”