The conflicting requirements of founders

I'm always nervous to write about the growth of MH&A. I have too much respect for the work that's ahead of us - and know how quickly you can lose what you've built if you take it?for granted, or worse, get cocky.

But as our business as evolved, I've spent more and more time thinking and talking to colleagues about the founders' experience?- so I thought I'd share a few thoughts on the ways in which growing a business conflicts and tortures you.?

To give you a sense of it, we've gone from "me and a laptop" (my team now openly mock me for describing our beginnings this way, but it's true) to a team of around 30 in just under four and a half years. That's not the stuff of unicorns; nor is it nothing.

The biggest conflict, I think, is the need to be incredibly confident and incredibly humble. You can't plan to grow a business, take the investment decisions required or sell work to clients, without real, serious, unflinching confidence in yourself and your team.?

At the same time, I think humility and respect for the challenge might be the most important qualities in anyone looking to grow a business; they drive your work ethic, your diligence, and your standards. Without humility, I'm not sure growth plans get out of the gate.

I can honestly say that I might have allowed myself two or three moments of "this is really cool" over the last four and a half years.? And I've always been back to "what's next?" Bartlet-style within minutes.?

I think my team think I'm a bit mad and / or miserable; but I've seen too many businesses take their market position for granted - and fail hard and fast as a result - to do it for a second. I do still enjoy what we've done and what we're doing; I just do it with the necessary relentlessness baked in.

Perhaps confidence and humility aren't conflicting traits.?Great sportspeople need the confidence to perform in front of millions, and the humility to keep putting the hard work in on the practice ground; this Michael Jordan piece on putting in the hard work is a particular favourite of mine - and forms part of our induction pack for new colleagues.

Another big conflict I notice is between elan and hustle.?

It's our job to provide clients with brilliant, insightful, and impactful advice and support. We should work strategically, systematically, and surgically to deliver what our clients need. And our work should look great (if you've not seen an MH&A strategy slide pack, you should probably buy one ??).

At the same time, you've got to have real hustle to grow a business.? You've got to know how to look after yourself, your team, and your firm. You've got to know how to handle difficult people and situations. You've got be to able to negotiate.? You've got to know your way around a contract, and its implications. You've got to be able to see around corners.

If you can't hustle, your elan will go to **** pretty quickly.?

This isn't a swan-like paddling thing for me. Its about having and being able to deploy two diametrically opposed skill sets, possibly even personality types, concurrently to do all of the things that your growing business requires of you.

A third conflict I notice is between your life and your business.? Owning and growing a business, whilst maintaining your professional standards and personal integrity is a thoroughly consuming mission.

If you've grown your own business and found a way to stop yourself from noodling on the issues, risks, and opportunities your business faces whilst in the gym, at the football or on the tube... you're doing well.

I've learnt to offset those demands by taking good time back for myself and my family.? If I do some of my best thinking in the gym, then I'm not going to blink about sitting on a bike for an hour during the day.

If I'm going to keep gently in touch with the business whilst I'm on holiday, maybe I'll take an extra week's holiday every year so that I do get enough downtime.

There are other conflicting requirements too, I think; but that's enough for today. I've become?fascinated by what it takes to grow businesses like, and quite unlike, ours over the last four and a half years - so would love to hear colleagues' experiences and views... ????