Sign in Subscribe

Choosing Discipline Over Expansion

Sharmadean Reid

Sharmadean Reid

— 6 min read
Choosing Discipline Over Expansion

Exactly 5 months ago, we started shipping 39BC to the world, and it’s been a fantastic whirlwind. Pretty much everything I wanted and visualised for the business has happened within this short time, and as a result, the opportunities have come thick and fast. 

Which is the precise point when a company can start to lose focus, feel the first bits of tension and maybe even have its first tantrum. So I’m catching it early.

I listened to several business podcasts this week and the thing I kept hearing over and over again was that the main reason businesses fail is a lack of focus.

RSVP for Tonights Zoom Workshop

This proving true with another indie beauty company we have been discussing an internally. A 5-year-old brand that has strayed quite far from its original mission, confusing the customer and lowering brand equity.

So what’s a founder to do? Withdraw and refocus.

To feel like my business is operating with discipline, I’m putting all our current activities into the following buckets

  • Things I Want To Do (Low Priority)
  • Things I Have to Do (High Priority)
  • Things I Can’t Do (Postpone/Pushback)
  • Things I Won't Do (Scrap/Ignore)

From there we can rearrange our strategic priorities accordingly.

Some of these things make me super sad to postpone. But if you’re building a consumer business, I think this level of discipline is what keeps you alive. So here’s where I’m at less than one year into my business…

I have to remember that 

1 - We are a business focussed on HISTORY, BATHING and SENSORY BODYCARE. 

2 - We need to nail DTC to get the best margin possible.

3 - We need to win in London before we try and scale the entire globe. 

I’ve always said I want this business to be everything, everywhere, all at once. Now the realist in me is understanding that one step at a time is also okay.

Things I Want To Do (Low Priority so will do Q3/4)

I’m starting with the fun stuff because I just wanna get it out of my system that if the choice was mine and mine alone, this is what I would be doing.

Read more