The reason why a lot of groundbreaking CEOs seem crazy and weird is because it takes a non-conformist to produce the unusual and new. Therefore, to grow your business, the first step is not looking for funding. It is identifying the non-conformists in your organisation and empowering them with four things – a project, a team, political cover and a budget. It is their ideas and efforts that will lead to sustainable growth.

As a CEO, your organisation cannot grow beyond the ingenuity and contributions of your staff. You can’t be everywhere and do everything. You will burn out and business growth will stall.

Oh, and by the way, in this market, more often than not, you will need to train your own people and design customised retention strategies. Alternatively, be prepared to run through a lot of staff before you eventually find one or two you can grow with.