Signal | Issue #1: Your business isn’t scaling—what’s the signal here?

Signal Insights + strategies to help established and aspiring founders + entrepreneurs scale smarter, fix inefficiencies, and redefine growth as a lifestyle.

What’s in Store

1/ What a Lack of Research Is Telling You The signals your business is sending—and why research is the key to decoding them.

2/ The Healthcare Startup Problem A case study on how moving too fast without research creates inefficiencies and broken systems.

3/ Why Research-Driven Growth Matters How research uncovers hidden opportunities and drives sustainable scaling.

4/ How to Scale Smarter with Research Three actionable steps to integrate research into your business strategy.

5/ This Week’s Signal Reflection questions to help you identify areas where research can unlock growth.

Quick Note

Hey there, and Happy New Year!

Let’s talk about growth.

If your business feels like it’s spinning its wheels—sales are stagnating, your team is overwhelmed, or your product isn’t landing the way you hoped—it’s more than just a rough patch. It’s a signal.

A signal that something deeper is at play. And more often than not, it comes down to one overlooked factor: a lack of research and systematic exploration.

Let’s break it down.

1/ What a Lack of Research Is Telling You

When businesses fail to prioritize research, they’re not just missing out on data—they’re missing the bigger picture. Here’s what this signal might be revealing:

• Your strategy is based on assumptions. Without systematic exploration, decisions are often made on gut feelings or incomplete information.
• You’re solving the wrong problems. Lack of research can mean you’re addressing symptoms, not root causes.
• Your growth isn’t sustainable. Scaling without understanding the systems you’re building leads to inefficiencies, breakdowns, and frustrated teams.
• You’re overlooking key insights. Whether it’s customer behavior, market shifts, or operational inefficiencies, research is what connects the dots.

2/ The Healthcare Startup Problem

Nowhere is this signal more evident than in health tech. It’s one of the fastest-growing sectors, filled with startups eager to innovate—yet so many contribute to the very problems they claim to solve.

Take electronic health records (EHRs) as an example. Initially designed to streamline healthcare, many systems have added administrative burdens and worsened clinician burnout. Why? Because these solutions often prioritized speed and features over a deep understanding of the end users—the clinicians and patients.

This isn’t just a healthcare problem—it’s a startup problem. Founders racing to scale without pausing for research end up with fragmented solutions that perpetuate inefficiencies.

The result? A broken system that’s harder to fix.

3/ Why Research-Driven Growth Matters

Research isn’t just for academics—it’s the foundation of sustainable business growth. Here’s why:

• It uncovers the right problems. Research helps you ask better questions and solve for root causes.
• It informs smarter decisions. Data-driven insights reduce guesswork and increase confidence in your strategy.
• It drives innovation. Systematic exploration fuels breakthroughs by challenging assumptions and connecting unexpected dots.

One of the best examples? Google. What began as a PhD research project—a systematic approach to ranking web pages—turned into one of the most valuable companies in the world. That’s the power of research.

4/ How to Scale Smarter with Research

So, how do you bring this mindset into your business? Here are three actionable steps:

1. Ask the Right Questions. Growth isn’t just about moving fast—it’s about moving in the right direction. Start by reframing your challenges as research questions. For example, Instead of: "How can we grow sales?" Ask: "What barriers are preventing our customers from buying more?"
2. Create Space for Exploration. Research takes time and intention. Build a culture that values curiosity and systematic problem-solving. Start small: dedicate time in team meetings to explore unanswered questions or analyze new data.
3. Bring in the Wild Cards. Researchers, academics, and other non-traditional hires bring fresh perspectives and critical thinking to your team. They’ll challenge assumptions, connect the dots, and help you build systems that scale.

5/ This Week’s Signal

Take 15 minutes this week to reflect on how research (or a lack of it) is influencing your business. Ask yourself:

• Are we solving the right problems, or just the most obvious ones?
• What assumptions are driving our current strategy—and have we tested them?
• How could systematic exploration unlock new opportunities for growth?

Remember, growth isn’t a sprint—it’s a process. And when you embrace research-driven principles, you’re not just scaling; you’re evolving.

Let’s evolve together,

Kala

P.S. What’s been your biggest challenge with integrating research into your business? Comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts and help you troubleshoot.

About Signal Signal delivers insights and strategies to help founders and entrepreneurs scale smarter, fix inefficiencies, and redefine growth as a lifestyle.

• Listen to our latest podcast episode on this topic here.
• Dive deeper with our editorial feature here.

Each week, we decode one key signal your business—or your team—is sending, so you can act on what matters most.