The single most important focus for scaling your B2B company

Surprisingly, many companies rely on basic concepts such as the Pareto Principle, which suggests that 20% of your customers can account for 80% of your profits. While this idea is widely accepted, it often falls short of providing clear, actionable strategies for achieving sustainable growth. Let's explore this further.

Shifting to hybrid model

What do McKinsey & Company, IBM Consulting, Deloitte, Accenture, Baker McKenzie, Oliver Wyman, BCG, Ogilvy, Interbrand, and Erretres have in common? They all provide premier consultancy services to a diverse array of clients.

Most of these organizations operate under both a project-based model and retainer agreements. In addition, there are firms that exclusively use one of these two models. Each approach has its own advantages, allowing these firms to effectively meet the unique needs of their clients.

Businesses that rely on a purely project-based model excel at delivering customized solutions to their clients, showcasing creativity and adaptability. However, this approach often comes with challenges.

For years, my design agency Erretres operated on a purely project-based business model, thriving as a strategic design firm delivering bespoke solutions to high-profile clients. While this approach allowed us to showcase our creative versatility and tailor our services to unique challenges, it also came with the unpredictability of revenue cycles—a common pain point for project-based businesses. Each new engagement required fresh pitches, lengthy onboarding, and the constant hunt for the next big opportunity.

The turning point came when we began transitioning into a hybrid model, blending project-based work with retainer agreements for our top-tier clients. This shift sparked transformative growth. For me this hybrid approach has the best of both worlds, balancing financial stability with creative freedom, making it highly valuable for B2B companies offering consultancy services or products, especially design and advertising agencies. By combining the flexibility of project-based engagements with the consistency of retainers, businesses can deepen client relationships, ensure reliable cash flow, and adapt to evolving needs. This model not only drives long-term growth but also enables scalability, investment in talent, and sustained innovation, helping companies thrive while delivering high-quality, tailored solutions.

So, if you are a services company founder or an entrepreneur launching the next B2B unicorn, my advice is simple: think beyond the allure of one-off wins and embrace sustainable growth.

B2B sustainable growth

For established companies, the future lies in evolving toward a hybrid model that combines the best of both worlds. For startups, the focus is on designing for scalability from the very beginning—not just achieving initial product-market fit, but building systems, processes, and revenue structures that enable exponential growth.

Success isn’t just about having a great product; it’s about structuring your business to thrive in the long run.

I’ve spent considerable time thinking about this, studying companies, analyzing reports, and drawing on my own experience working with numerous organizations across diverse industries.

That’s why I’ve developed a system to drive Sustainable Growth for B2B companies. It comprises 10 strategic recommendations. Some organizations may implement the entire system, while others might prioritize two or three key areas. The recommendations are designed to be adaptable—implemented in any order—but starting with the initial steps is often the easiest and most effective way to gain momentum.

Let’s dive into the details:

1. Design your systems to grow

First audit and them create easy to implement systems that can easily adapt to increased demand, ensuring seamless expansion without disrupting daily operations or quality.

Action Steps:

• Audit your current client portfolio to identify candidates for retainer agreements or long term contracts
• Create 6-12 month retainer packages with clear deliverables and value propositions
• Start with a pilot program: Convert your top 2-3 clients to retainer agreements
• Set a goal to maintain 60% of revenue from retainers, 40% from projects

My experience: if your client is happy, don’t wait more than six months to propose a long-term, retainer-based partnership. Clients who trust you and value your work are often open to deepening the relationship, but it’s up to you to take the initiative.

2. Maximize client retention

Retaining clients is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, as it reduces marketing and onboarding expenses while leveraging established relationships for sustained growth.

Action Steps:

• Establish quarterly business reviews with key clients
• Create a client success roadmap with clear milestones and check-ins
• Implement a feedback loop system (NPS surveys after major deliverables)
• Develop an early warning system for at-risk clients based on engagement metrics

My experience: Teams often thrive on new clients and fresh challenges, seeking variety and innovation. Meanwhile, founders and managers tend to chase the next big thing, aiming to scale or disrupt. But here’s the reality: 80% of your growth usually comes from your existing client base. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new opportunities, but nurturing and expanding relationships with your current clients is often the most reliable and impactful growth strategy.

3. Define and dominate your niche

Identify a clear niche to differentiate your brand, allowing you to tailor your offerings, attract ideal clients, and establish authority in your market.

Action Steps:

• List your most profitable projects or clients from the last 12 months
• Identify common patterns in client industry, size, or challenge
• Develop specialized service packages for your target niche
• Create case studies highlighting your expertise in this area

My experience: delivering great service makes it relatively easy to retain clients. But in the long run, maintaining those relationships requires more than just consistency—you’ll need to evolve your offering to stay competitive. The market changes, and so should you. The key is to dominate your niche. When you’re the go-to expert in your field, everything becomes simpler—clients trust you more, opportunities come to you, and you can set the terms of engagement.

4. Build your A-team

Assemble a skilled, cohesive team that shares your vision, bringing diverse expertise to drive innovation, efficiency, and long-term success.

Action Steps:

• Define core values and cultural principles
• Create clear career progression paths for team members
• Implement a skill development budget for each employee
• Set up a referral program for finding top talent

My experience: Transitioning to a hybrid model that emphasizes retainer-based agreements requires a strong, reliable team to uphold the quality of services and deliverables. This shift isn’t just about structure; it’s about people. Prioritize team players over lone stars. While individual talent can shine, long-term success comes from a cohesive team that collaborates seamlessly, shares responsibility, and consistently delivers value to clients.

5. Leverage strategic partnerships

Forge mutually beneficial partnerships to expand your reach, access new resources, and enhance your offerings, driving growth and competitive advantage.

Action Steps:

• Identify 3-5 complementary service providers in your network
• Create formal partnership agreements with revenue-sharing models
• Develop joint service offerings
• Set up regular check-ins to align on opportunities

My experience: Focus on your core business and be transparent about the services you outsource. Honesty about what you handle in-house versus what you delegate builds trust and credibility with your clients. At the same time, it allows you to expand your service offering without overextending your team or compromising quality.

6. Amplify your digital presence

Strengthen your online visibility by showcasing expertise, sharing valuable insights, and positioning your brand as a trusted authority in your niche.

Action Steps:

• Create a content calendar focused on your niche expertise
• Share weekly insights on LinkedIn and industry platforms
• Develop lead magnets (guides, templates) for lead generation
• Set up an email nurture sequence for prospects

My experience: customers make decisions based on what you communicate through your website and credentials presentation. If you want to sell retainers, shift your focus: highlight the value you bring to your clients rather than dwelling on awards or achievements. Clients care more about how you can solve their problems and drive results than about accolades. Speak their language, and show them the tangible impact of working with you.

7. Embrace data driven decissions

Use data to guide strategy, track performance, and optimize operations, balancing intuition with measurable insights for smarter business growth.

Action Steps:

• Define 5-7 key performance indicators (KPIs) for your business
• Set up monthly dashboard reviews with your team
• Track project profitability by client and service type
• Use data to optimize your service delivery process

My experience: In my experience, never underestimate the value of data. While gut feeling plays a crucial role in decision-making, data offers an objective lens that can reveal insights you might otherwise overlook. Combining intuition with data-driven analysis gives you a more balanced and informed perspective on your business.

8. Productize your services

Transform tailored offerings into standardized packages, creating scalable, repeatable solutions that streamline delivery and boost profitability.

Action Steps:

• Break down your services into standardized packages
• Create fixed-price offerings with clear scope boundaries
• Develop service delivery templates and checklists
• Train team members on standardized delivery processes

My experience: transitioning from services to products is often a challenging shift. It demands capabilities like commercialization and maintenance, which are typically outside the core expertise of consultancy-based businesses. Moreover, it requires a completely different mindset and approach. To navigate this transition, proceed with caution. Start small, focusing on products that are closely tied to your core business. This allows you to leverage your existing strengths while gradually building the new skills and processes required for product success.

9. Optimize your systems for scale

Build efficient processes, implement the right tools, and automate workflows to reduce friction and free up resources for high-value work.

Action Steps:

• Document your core processes in a centralized playbook
• Implement project management software (e.g., Asana, BaseCamo, ClickUp) for standardized workflows
• Set up automated client reporting templates
• Create a client onboarding sequence that can be replicated

My experience: Less is more. Meet with fewer people, ensure meetings have a clear agenda, and automate processes wherever possible. Focus your energy on adding value to client relationships, not getting buried in paperwork.

10. Scale sustainability

Grow with intention by aligning targets with team capacity, maintaining quality, and setting milestones that support long-term success.

Action Steps:

• Set quarterly growth targets aligned with team capacity
• Establish quality control checkpoints in your delivery process
• Create a resource allocation model for new projects
• Review and adjust pricing strategy every 6 months

My experience: it’s essential to set targets for the next 3, 6, and 12 months, while also envisioning where you want to be in 3 years. Break down your long-term vision into actionable milestones. Make it a habit to review and adjust these goals every six months to stay on track and adapt as needed.

Final thought

The key to successful scaling isn't just growing faster—it's growing smarter. Start implementing these steps gradually, measuring results, and adjusting as needed.