Hard Truths: The Key to Real Growth
Most business owners have no shortage of ambition. They set aggressive goals, dream of scaling their companies, and envision a future where their leadership team operates like a well-oiled machine. But here’s the hard truth: without a clear-eyed assessment of risks and roadblocks, that vision is just wishful thinking.
It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the next big thing—new clients, ambitious projects, expansion plans. But unless you take a brutally honest look at what could go wrong, you’re setting yourself up for frustration, stagnation, or worse—failure.
That’s exactly what Avasta Founder and CEO Edgar Baum discovered when he set out to take his company to the next level.
The Reality Check Every Business Needs
Edgar came into our Optimization Bootcamp with a clear goal: to shift his focus from working in the business to working on it. He wanted his leadership team to take full ownership of their respective areas so that he could dedicate more time to strategy and growth.
But here’s what many leaders miss—achieving that kind of transformation isn’t just about vision-setting. It requires an unflinching look at the risks and roadblocks that stand in the way.
During the Bootcamp, Edgar and his team did what many business owners avoid: they systematically identified what could go wrong. Instead of just pushing forward with high hopes, they examined the tough questions:
What marketing effort will be required?
Do we need to expand our sales capacity?
What gaps do we have in leadership and accountability?
Are we focusing on the right priorities?
This deep dive wasn’t just an exercise—it was a wake-up call. The full list of risks, roadblocks and required action was a collective ‘Aha Moment’ for the entire team.
The Hard but Necessary Decisions
One of the biggest revelations? Avasta had too many so-called “priorities.” Before the Bootcamp, the company was trying to juggle 80 different goals—an impossible task. By the end of the process, that number had been slashed to 10 clear, strategic objectives.
Another tough truth? Not everyone on the team was ready for the new level of accountability. Some employees thrived under the new structure, stepping up as true leaders. Others didn’t measure up and had to move on. That’s the cost of growth—when you raise the bar, not everyone can clear it.
As Edgar put it:
“I learned from the Bootcamp by having to go and retire a lot of my own views and aspirations so that the business could succeed.”
That’s the hallmark of a great leader—not just envisioning the future, but being willing to make the hard choices to get there.
The Payoff: Real, Measurable Results
With a leaner, more focused team and a realistic strategy, Avasta achieved record-breaking growth. Here’s what changed:
From chaos to execution: Projects that had stalled in the first half of the year started getting completed at the best rate in 18 months.
From scattered goals to strategic priorities: Instead of chasing 80 priorities, the team focused on 10 key objectives that actually mattered.
From founder-dependent to leadership-driven: The team started operating as true business leaders, accountable for their areas.
From business as usual to a new direction: A new business plan and common narrative emerged, ensuring that day-to-day work aligned with the company’s bigger goals.
This wasn’t just a surface-level transformation. Avasta fundamentally changed how it operated, and it all started with one crucial step: confronting reality head-on.
The Takeaway for Business Owners
If you’re running a business and feel like you’re spinning your wheels, ask yourself:
Are you defining your risks as clearly as you’re defining your vision?
Are you willing to make the tough calls that growth requires?
Do you have a leadership team that’s truly accountable, or are you still carrying too much of the load?
It’s easy to be optimistic. It’s harder to be realistic. But the companies that succeed long-term are the ones that balance both.
Edgar and his team at Avasta didn’t just dream big—they faced the challenges head-on, made the necessary changes, and came out stronger. That’s how real progress happens.
So before you chase your next big goal, take a step back and ask: What could go wrong? Define it. Plan for it. Solve for it. Then move forward with confidence.
Because success isn’t about blind optimism. It’s about smart, strategic, and sometimes uncomfortable decision-making.
Are you ready to do the same?