What keeps me awake at night as a CEO

Running a business is exhilarating, exhausting, and often something that follows you long after the workday ends. Growth, while thrilling, brings its own unique set of challenges, some that keep me up at night. Leading Allies, I’m constantly balancing between scaling up and ensuring our foundation remains strong.

Here’s what I’ve learned about what it takes to navigate business growth while striving for a stable, successful company.

1. A solid core: People and purpose

Growth means nothing if your people and purpose aren’t at the heart of it. My role as CEO is a constant reminder of how integral our team is to Allies’ success. I’m proud to lead a group of dedicated creative experts who are as committed to supporting freelancers as I am. Gratitude and respect are not just values; they’re the essence of our company. When your team feels valued, they become your strongest foundation.

2. Adaptability and Innovation

Growth requires agility. The market evolves, clients’ needs shift, and the best way to stay relevant is to anticipate and adapt. As a leader, that means being hands-on in recognising emerging trends and fostering an environment where my team feels empowered to bring forward new ideas. We built Allies to be adaptable, with a model that allows us to meet client needs with precision by matching them with the right freelance talent. Having a framework that’s adaptable yet steady allows us to respond to change without compromising our quality.?

3. Clear Vision and Strategic Decisions

Long-term success demands a clear, focused vision. While it's tempting to say "yes" to every opportunity that knocks, effective growth is about choosing the right ones. I often think about what we need in place to grow responsibly, staying grounded in our core strengths while embracing innovation where it aligns with our mission. Scaling isn’t about the number of projects we take on but about how each project reflects Allies’ dedication to quality and creativity.

4. Building resilience and learning from setbacks

Growth will inevitably test a business's resilience. As a CEO, it’s crucial to instil resilience across every layer of the organisation. This involves preparing for setbacks, learning from each challenge, and embedding a problem-solving mindset within the team. I aim to model resilience not by pretending we don’t face setbacks, but by showing how we can overcome them. Each misstep, delay, or challenge is a learning experience that shapes a stronger, more successful company.

5. Sustainable growth over speed

In the rush to grow, it’s easy to focus on speed over sustainability, but lasting success requires the opposite. I’m committed to scaling Allies in a way that honours our mission: connecting clients with award-winning creatives who bring value, passion, and expertise to every project. This means prioritising the quality of relationships over the quantity of projects and clients. Sustainable growth may take longer, but it ensures that we’re building something that’s here to stay and a brand that contributes to our industry meaningfully.?

The bottom line: Growth is a journey, not a race

What keeps me awake as a CEO isn’t just the drive to succeed but the responsibility of ensuring that Allies grows with integrity, purpose, and resilience. Business growth is about more than profits or numbers; it’s about building a legacy that my team, our clients, and our freelancers can be proud of. At Allies, we’re not just in the business of growth, we’re in the business of doing it right.? I can’t wait for the next five years and what we will achieve as a team.?

To every business leader reading this, remember: growth may keep you up at night, but it’s also the fire that drives you forward.

Pavan Riyat-Ward | www.wearetheallies.com