Insight certainty 4/5 debate potential 3/5

Growing slower enables a business to find its market, not buy it

Chris Mann · Guayakí Yerba Mate: David Karr and Chris Mann · Nov 28, 2022 · at 56:08

Chris Mann, co-founder of Guayakí, shares a business lesson on the advantages of deliberate, organic expansion over rapid scaling.

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“If you can grow slower, you can really find your market and not buy your market.”

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Disclosure
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