Editor's note: Roads for growth

We just wrapped up our 2025 Business Builders event, which took place May 7-8 in Nashville, and my brain is still hurting days after its conclusion. The event is a day-and-a-half of five panels with topics focused on aggressively growing your bottom line.

This is not to mention the amount of networking that goes on in between sessions and at receptions. It’s a lot to take in, but I know I left a lot more educated.

One thing that caught me off guard was the number of people who talked about changing their leadership teams as they hit certain revenue milestones. The leadership team you have to hit $1 million in revenue might be different than it is to hit $5 million, and that might change again with more growth.

The challenges of delegating also stood out at the event. It seemed that being the leader and being hands-on is easier to do than to step back, distribute those “hands-on” tasks and take on more big picture responsibilities.

Obviously, mergers, acquisitions and private equity were discussed. The idea of selling to private equity is much more accepted than it was five, maybe even two years ago. I remember the days when “private equity” was a four-letter word.

Although a handful of companies say they have changed their perspective about private equity and are more open to selling than ever before, some of those people are just fine continuing to grow organically.

The number of methods you can use to grow your company is bountiful, but don’t get too focused on one over another. It’s important to occasionally reflect on if and when you need to take a different approach to improving your company.

And if you didn’t get to attend this year, we will be back at the Loew’s Vanderbilt in Nashville from May 20-21 in 2026.