Critical CEO Mindset Shifts To Take To Scale Well Past $10M
There are two distinct mindset shifts that CEOs of companies under $10M in annual revenue need to make it they want to unlock growth. These are simple to do and will return meaningful value.
Shift 1: From Hero To Architect
Early on, the business rewards your ability to personally rescue situations. At scale, it rewards your ability to design systems and teams that win without you.
Harvard Business Review research on senior leaders’ time shows that many CEOs stay stuck in “doer” mode too long. They struggle to carve out time for strategy, cross‑functional work, and reflection. That choice limits both performance and their own growth.
To start the shift being more “on” the business versus “in” the business, Do these two things:
✅ Ask yourself each Friday: “Did I spend more time solving today’s problems or designing tomorrow’s wins?” If the answer is significantly weighted to solving today’s problems, then a change needs to be made.
✅ Aim to move two hours every week from solving to designing. Block this time in your calendar, keep it distraction free, and preferably do it outside of your normal work environments in order to stimulate creativity. Protect this time at and use it for strategic thinking – this is one way to start shifting your focus to being more “on” the business.
Shift 2: From “More” to “Less But Clearer”
Stuck companies usually do not lack ideas. They lack focus. Multiple initiatives, no clear prioritization on what matters most, and ambiguity around who is accountable for the end results.
For the next 90 days, pick:
✅ One core revenue driver.
✅ One major internal constraint.
✅ One leadership behavior you want to see more consistently.
Build your plan and your meetings around those three. Develop goals for each and hold yourself and your team accountable to generating results. By doing so, you will feel more progress and less noise.
These two small shifts can unlock growth, create clarity, and make work a little more enjoyable. Give them a try this quarter – you will be glad you did.
