Please reach us at gary@sustained-growth.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
We have trained some of the most well-managed and high-performing companies across the U.S., many of which are members of the Tugboat Institute. These businesses span a wide range of industries—including a premium vineyard and winery in Napa Valley, to advanced manufacturers, large-scale construction firms, and a design-led consumer goods business - 25 companies and nearly 300 executives as of this writing. They vary in size, from $5 million to over $1.2 billion in annual revenue. Despite their differences, these companies share a common desire to grow, a hunger to improve, and a belief that better decision-making drives sustainable performance over time.
The primary barrier to sustained growth is the lack of a clear framework for decision-making—most leadership teams don't know what to focus on or the order in which to act. This uncertainty leads to delays, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. When companies have clarity on the strategic decisions that matter most, they experience faster execution cycles, less wasted effort, and improved morale. They also benefit from the compounding gains (increasing returns) that come from mastering ever-more effective tools and methods. Once the right decisions are prioritized and coordinated, other growth obstacles tend to fall away.
Companies that participate in Sustained Growth Training report significant improvements in both strategic and operational outcomes. At the highest level, the training helps companies increase their longevity and sustained profitable growth. Underlying those results are six key performance drivers: introducing new high-margin offerings, attracting and retaining high-margin customers, maintaining high margins on existing offerings, using value-based pricing strategies, and improving cash flow to fuel growth. These are called "emergent outcomes" because they arise from coordinating many smaller, interdependent decisions across leadership, operations, and finance.
Among the 50 decisions taught in our curriculum, three stand out as especially important: creating a shared Vision of where the company is going, developing a Plan to get there, and setting Targets to track progress. But these cannot exist in an organizational vacuum. To generate traction, they must be supported by a system of complementary decisions—such as open communication, data transparency, and aligned incentives. We train leadership teams to think in systems, so their decisions reinforce one another, creating momentum that drives growth frequency.
Yes—sustained growth strategies are industry-agnostic. Companies that achieve long-term, steady growth often share more similarities with other sustained growers (even in different sectors) than with direct competitors in their own field. What sets them apart is not the market they’re in, but how they lead, decide, and execute. These core management decisions apply whether you're in tech, agriculture, construction, healthcare, or manufacturing—and they are just as relevant for companies in rural communities as they are in major metropolitan hubs.
We recommend that CEOs and executive leadership team (ELT) members attend our executive education training. Many CEOs also invite high-potential employees or emerging leaders to join. The program is designed to benefit professionals at all education levels—participants have ranged from those with GEDs to those with PhDs, and everyone leaves with actionable tools. What matters most is a willingness to learn and a commitment to improving company growth and profitability in a coordinated, sustainable way.
If you're fully satisfied with your company's current growth rate and long-term outlook, this training may not be necessary. But if you wish your growth was more consistent, or if you're doing well and want to stay ahead by improving decision quality, our program is a great fit. Sustained Growth Training is especially impactful for companies with at least two or three levels of management—ideally a CEO, an executive team, and front-line or department managers. These companies are best positioned to benefit from the training’s layered decision-making framework although smaller companies with current sustained growth may also find training especially valuable.
A sustained growth company is defined as one that has a net increase in full-time employment in at least two out of five consecutive years. To calculate this, we count the years the company added net new employees and subtract the years they reduced staff. This definition provides a simple but powerful way to identify businesses that are scaling their capacity over time. Nationally, these firms represent just 0.5% to 1.5% of all businesses, yet they are responsible for generating up to 150% of net new jobs, especially when offsetting employment losses during recessions at non-growing firms. [Be sure to download the attached White Paper for more details.]
Sustained growth companies are often the first to recognize economic shifts and adjust accordingly. Our research, including a study with Inc. Magazine and GE Capital, shows that during the 2008 Great Recession and the 2020 COVID-19 downturn, sustained growers were first to reduce headcount and first to ramp up hiring in anticipation of recovery. Unlike most companies, they exited the recession with more employees than they had before. These firms are frequently considered the "green shoots" that signal the beginning of an economic rebound.
We use a combination of large-scale, longitudinal data sources:
This triangulated approach enables us to map growth patterns and link them directly to leadership decisions.
While sales reflect demand, employment is a stronger indicator of productive capacity—the supply side of the business. Leadership can control hiring more directly than sales, which makes employee headcount a more consistent and reliable metric. Sales and profits are often noisy and subject to short-term fluctuations, while employment decisions reflect longer-term strategy and operational confidence. That makes employment a better benchmark for identifying sustained growth.
Yes—sustained growth companies are among the most efficient value creators in the economy. They grow faster, live longer, and outperform in key metrics like sales per employee, customer acquisition, and employee retention. Internally, they make fewer mistakes introducing new products and manage operations with greater precision. Their systemic approach to decision-making allows them to convert inputs into outputs with higher returns—benefiting not only shareholders but also their workers and communities.
Sustained growth companies tend to adopt a stakeholder-centric model. Their CEOs often cite reasons for growth that go beyond profit—like supporting employees, their families, their community, and charitable causes. These firms are more likely to offer strong employee benefits, invest in training, promote diversity, and stay headquartered in their original region. In doing so, they strengthen local economies and spread the benefits of growth more equitably across different population segments.
When economic development agencies sponsor Sustained Growth Training, they accelerate the development of homegrown job creators. These companies increase regional employment, raise household income, reduce brain drain, fill commercial real estate, and generate higher tax revenues. Sponsoring training is one of the most cost-effective ways to create economic resilience, and it positions your region as a hub for thriving, well-managed businesses.
Getting started is easy. If you're a CEO, a member of an executive leadership team, or an economic development professional, reach out via our contact form or you can reach us at gary@sustained-growth.com. We'll answer your questions, inform you about upcoming training events, and if you're with an economic development agency, we can discuss options for sponsoring regional CEO and executive training. Sponsorship often allows multiple companies in a region to participate, helping foster long-term economic resilience.
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