PPN #37: This Is How You Scale 🚀

Hey there! 👋

Last week, we talked about my scrappy playbook for launching a brand. This week? We're diving deeper into the infrastructure that keeps that playbook running smoothly: the three pillars of scale.

I’ve worked with 100+ emerging CPG brands, and the same theme keeps coming up: the brands that truly scale—the ones that go from farmers market darlings to retail powerhouses—all have have mastered what I call the three pillars of scale: Strategy, Systems, and Soul.

Most brands struggling to grow are missing at least one of these pillars. And until you identify which one, you'll keep spinning your wheels, wondering why growth feels so hard and you feel stuck. So today, we’re breaking them down — and if you’re struggling, here’s how pinpoint exactly which one it is. →

The three pillars, explained

Strategy is your market positioning and access. It's knowing exactly who you're for, why you're different, and how you'll reach your customers.

Strategy answers: “Where are we headed, and what’s the plan to get there?”

Systems are your repeatable processes for growth. It's having documented procedures for everything from product development to customer acquisition.

Systems answer: "How do we do what we do, consistently and at scale to get to our vision?"

Soul is your founder's vision and brand essence. It's the fire in your belly that keeps you going when things get tough, and the clear vision that guides every decision.

Soul answers: "Why are you building this, why does this brand exist, and what’s your role in bringing it to life?"

When all three pillars are strong, growth feels inevitable. But when even one is weak, the whole foundation wobbles.

What “stuckness” looks like

If your Strategy is broken, you might be experiencing:

• Slow growth, despite having a good product

• Constantly competing on price because you can't articulate your value

• Difficulty getting into new retailers or channels

• Marketing that feels like throwing spaghetti at the wall

• Confusion about who your real target customer is, or thinking you’re “for everyone” (trust me, you’re not)

If your Systems are broken, you might be experiencing:

• Everything depending on you as a founder

• Constant ops fires and crisis management

• Declining quality or customer experience as you try to grow (leading to decreased conversion)

• High contractor or employee turnover (and a lot of tough conversations)

If your Soul is broken, you might be experiencing:

• Founder burnout or dreading working on your business

• Making decisions that don't feel aligned with your vision

• Constantly changing direction or shiny ball syndrome

• Building a business that looks successful, but doesn't fulfill you

Sound familiar? Most struggling brands have issues in multiple areas, but usually one pillar is the primary blocker keeping you stuck.

How to determine what’s really holding you back

Want to figure out what’s really holding you back? It’s time for some good ol’ fashioned reflection. Here are a few questions worth asking yourself to get to the root of your stuckness:

Strategy:

• Can you clearly articulate in one sentence who your product is for and why they should choose you over every competitor in your category?

• Do you have a documented plan for reaching your target customers that doesn't rely on "spray and pray" marketing?

• When you explain your brand to someone new, do they immediately "get it" or do you find yourself over-explaining?

• Are you consistently attracting your ideal customers, or are you constantly chasing anyone who might buy?

Systems:

• If you took a two-week vacation tomorrow, would your business continue running smoothly?

• Do you have documented processes for your most important business functions (product development, customer acquisition, order fulfillment, etc.)?

• Can you predict how long it takes to complete key business tasks?

• Are you spending most of your time working in your business or on your business?

Soul:

• When you think about working on your brand next week, do you feel energized or drained?

• Can you clearly describe where you want your brand to be in 3-5 years?

• Do the decisions you're making today align with your long-term vision?

• Are you building the business you actually want to run, or just the business you think you should run?

And if you can't answer these questions clearly...

...that's your answer right there.

And you’re not alone in this! Many founders are too close to their own business - and the day to day running of it - to see the gaps clearly. You've been living and breathing your brand, and know every nuance, backstory, and reason why your product is special.

But scaling requires clarity that works for people who don't have that context—your customers, your team members, your potential retail partners. It requires the kind of crystal-clear thinking that only comes from stepping outside your own perspective.

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is get an outside view of what's actually happening in your business...not just  what you think is happening.

The bottom line

The brands that scale successfully identify and fix their foundational issues before they try to grow, not after.

You can't scale what isn't working at a small level.

If your strategy is unclear when you're selling to 100 customers, it won't magically become clear at 10,000. If your systems are chaotic at $10K monthly revenue, they'll be a disaster at $100K.

So, which pillar needs your attention first?

Have specific questions about how to build scalable processes? Let me know by replying to this email or book a call here. Always here to help you succeed!

Cheers,

Caroline