Growth Isn’t Always Scale: Rethinking Success in the $1M–$100M Business Segment
Joseph Upton Challenges Conventional Thinking and Calls for Smarter, Not Just Bigger, Growth Strategies in Marketing
CHICAGO, IL, May 15, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — In a business landscape enamored with hypergrowth, unicorn valuations, and 10X scaling, one marketing strategist, Joseph Upton, urges mid-sized companies to pause and reconsider what “growth” truly means. With over 14 years of experience working with businesses generating between $1 million and $100 million in revenue, Upton believes the industry’s obsession with scale can often be misleading, and at times, perilously unstrategic.
“There’s a prevailing myth that growing a company equates to scaling as quickly and broadly as possible,” Upton asserts. “However, scaling for the sake of it can ultimately jeopardize a business. For firms in the $1M to $100M range, sustainable growth hinges more on strategic maturity than on mere acceleration.”
Upton’s provocative perspective comes at a time when mid-market CEOs and founders grapple with pressure to conform to startup paradigms—growth hacks, performance ads, and blitzscaling tactics—while lacking the safety nets and capital buffers larger enterprises enjoy. In his latest thought leadership piece, Upton proposes an innovative framework to redefine how growth should be approached—favoring intention, clarity, and strategic alignment over merely pursuing skyrocketing curves.
Scaling ≠ Winning: The Mid-Market Fallacy
Mid-market companies occupy a distinctive space in the business ecosystem—too large for reckless experimentation like startups, yet not fully resourced or structured akin to Fortune 500s. Upton notes that this “in-between” status often generates confusion regarding effective growth strategies.
“The term ‘scale’ is frequently exalted as a badge of honor,” Upton states. “But the reality is, scaling implies replicating success. If you haven’t clearly defined what that success consists of, or if your systems are unprepared for heightened demand, scaling merely accelerates dysfunction.”
The Pitfalls of Premature Scaling
Upton underscores a critical mistake he often observes in mid-market businesses: the urge to scale before achieving strategic maturity. This preparation includes:
- Clear customer segmentation and positioning
- A reliable, high-converting go-to-market strategy
- Aligned internal teams and repeatable processes
- Measurable and sustainable marketing channels
- A compelling brand narrative that resonates in the market
“Trying to scale a flawed marketing engine is akin to pouring gasoline on a misfiring vehicle,” Upton warns. “Simultaneously faster, but inevitably disastrous.”
Recognizing the Wrong Kind of Growth
Over the past decade, Upton has noticed a recurring set of warning signs indicating that a company is growing in the wrong way—these red flags often masquerade as progress:
- Revenue is increasing, but margins are dwindling.
- Customer acquisition is surging, but retention is plummeting.
- New hires are rising, but team performance and cohesion are faltering.
- Marketing expenditures are increasing, yet ROI remains ambiguous.
“These symptoms do not signal success,” stresses Upton. “They indicate a business expanding in width, not depth; growing without fortifying its foundations.”
The Case for Strategic Depth
Rather than fixating on aggressive scaling, Upton champions the concept of strategic depth—the capacity for intelligent, intentional, and sustainable growth.
“Strategic depth involves a profound comprehension of your market, owning your narrative, and aligning every facet of your business—from marketing to sales to operations—around a well-defined strategy,” he articulates. “It’s about being smarter before attempting to grow bigger.”
Strategic depth empowers a business to:
- Build a brand moat as opposed to merely a marketing funnel.
- Enhance customer lifetime value (CLTV) instead of just chasing acquisition volume.
- Fortify operational infrastructure before subjecting it to volume-related stresses.
- Generate demand rather than merely seizing it.
- Invest in long-term positioning rather than temporary promotions.
Upton insists: strategic depth doesn’t oppose growth; it endorses sustainability. “If you’re attempting to triple your revenue without a solid understanding of why customers choose you, that’s a fundamental issue,” he concludes. “Strategic depth is about grounding your core before expanding your reach.”
Marketing’s Transformative Role in Rethinking Growth
This paradigm shift from prioritizing scale to emphasizing strategy fundamentally rewrites the role of marketing.
In many mid-market companies, Upton observes, marketing remains confined to tactical tasks: launching ads, redesigning websites, distributing content. However, in the evolving landscape, marketing must pivot to become a strategic growth function, responsible for not just visibility, but for market clarity, demand creation, and alignment with business objectives.
Transformational Marketing Strategies
Upton suggests several key shifts for companies embracing strategic depth:
1. From Campaigns to Systems
“Transition from viewing marketing as a series of short-lived campaigns to a comprehensive marketing system,” urges Upton. “Assets like your email list, SEO presence, and brand equity accrue value over time—invest in them.”
2. From Funnels to Journeys
Upton advocates moving beyond linear customer funnels: “People don’t buy in straight lines. Your marketing strategies should reflect that complexity.”
3. From KPIs to North Stars
Instead of fixating on vanity metrics like impressions and clicks, Upton recommends focusing on strategic metrics directly aligned with essential business targets: revenue quality, customer satisfaction, and retention rates.
4. From Hacking to Positioning
“While growth hacks may yield short-term gains, they fall short of establishing a defensible brand,” Upton remarks. “Businesses should prioritize robust positioning to differentiate themselves and ensure lasting demand.”
Case Study: The Founder Who Opted for Introspection Over Scaling
Upton recounts a recent case: the founder of a tech-enabled services firm generating $12 million annually sought his assistance to scale rapidly. Post-audit indicated a different route was necessary.
“They faced challenges in positioning, inconsistent customer experience, and lacked a reliable marketing engine. Scaling prematurely would only amplify their internal dysfunction,” Upton explains.
Therefore, they collaborated to refine the brand narrative, clarify customer segmentation, implement a marketing system, and unify sales messaging. Within 18 months, revenue grew to $16 million, but more significantly, net margins improved by 6%, employee turnover diminished, and customer retention nearly doubled.
“The growth wasn’t explosive, but it was steady, strong, and sustainable. Now, they’re genuinely prepared to scale on a solid foundation,” notes Upton.
Embracing a New Growth Mindset in the Mid-Market
As the business landscape continues to evolve, Upton believes the mid-market segment must undergo a mindset transformation—defining success not solely as becoming larger, but as improving, refining, and enhancing sustainability.
“True growth isn’t about amplifying chaos,” Upton concludes. “It’s about aligning your business for long-term success, both internally and externally.”
For CEOs, founders, and executive teams navigating the $1M to $100M segment, Upton’s message is crystal clear: resist the urge to scale prematurely. Invest in strategy before chasing volume. And remember, depth can be the wisest form of growth.
About Joseph Upton
Joseph Upton is a Chicago-based marketing strategist and founder of Upton Growth Partners. With over 14 years of experience aiding mid-market companies in achieving sustainable growth, Upton specializes in marketing strategy, positioning, customer journey design, and revenue optimization. His client base extends across private equity firms, scaling startups, professional services companies, and B2B brands throughout North America. An esteemed speaker, Upton frequently addresses topics on marketing leadership and contemporary growth strategies.
Residing in Chicago with his wife Emily and their two children, Upton finds joy in reading business history, exploring new cities around the globe, and mentoring upcoming marketing professionals.
