Want to 10x Your Business? Start Here

How can we 10x this?

That was the question one of my mentors asked me last week. And I immediately felt its power—not just because it challenged me, but because it forced me to confront the critical parts of my business.

There’s a story I read once that really drives this home:

If I asked you to increase your revenue by 10%, you could probably think of 100 different ways to do that. But if I asked you to 10x your revenue, suddenly, the list shrinks. You’re left with only a few—maybe none—viable options.

A 10x mindset forces clarity. It exposes the bottlenecks in your business that you can no longer ignore. Sometimes we are way too caught up in the weeds of our day to day that we completely overlook the obvious problems that are limiting our growth. 

This blog is an invitation to contemplate a 10x mindset.

That shift in energy is just the first step. Naturally, you’ll face real limits—constraints like time, budget, or resources. So, the question becomes: How do we 10x despite these limits?

Propelling Questions

This type of thinking leads to what are called Propelling Questions. I first came across the concept in A Beautiful Constraint by Adam Morgan and Mark Barden. They argue that constraints—often seen as barriers—can actually be turned into springboards for creativity, innovation, and growth.

A Propelling Question takes a bold goal and pairs it with a significant constraint. It forces you to innovate in ways you wouldn’t if the limitation didn’t exist. Let me show you a few examples.

Time Constraint

• Bold ambition: How can we double our output in half the time?
• Propelling question: What would we need to do if we had to deliver twice as many products in half the time we normally would?

Budget Constraint

• Bold ambition: How can we expand our customer base by 100% with no extra marketing budget?
• Propelling question: What creative methods could we use to double our customer base without increasing our marketing spend?

Skillset Constraint

• Bold ambition: How can we create a world-class product with limited expertise in a new area?
• Propelling question: How could we use our existing skills to solve this challenge without hiring new talent?

Innovation Constraint

• Bold ambition: How can we develop a groundbreaking product with no new R&D investment?
• Propelling question: What if we had to create a revolutionary product using only existing technology and knowledge?

Rethinking Resources

Once you’ve identified your constraints, the next step is to rethink how you use your resources. Here’s a simple framework to get started:

1. Reframe the Problem
   Instead of seeing your constraint as a barrier, ask yourself how it can lead to a better solution. Example: If your marketing budget is tight, ask, "How can we use word-of-mouth or partnerships to amplify our efforts?"
2. Inventory Existing Resources
   List everything you already have—people, technology, networks, knowledge, and relationships. How can you use them in new or unconventional ways? Example: A space you use for storage could be repurposed as a pop-up shop or co-working space.
3. Leverage Non-Obvious Resources
   Look for hidden assets you haven’t considered or undervalued. Example: Your company’s data, customer relationships, or intellectual property could be repurposed into a new service offering, like providing data insights.
4. Collaborate and Borrow Resources
   Find external partners who have the resources you lack and propose a win-win collaboration. Example: Partner with a non-competing business to share marketing platforms or technology.
5. Simplify or Redesign
   Ask yourself if everything you’re doing is truly essential. Sometimes simplifying can free up resources. Example: Instead of delivering lengthy reports at the end of a consulting engagement, consider having a direct conversation with decision-makers to free up time and resources.

This framework helps you turn constraints into opportunities by rethinking what you already have and finding creative solutions.

Applying 10x Thinking to Relationship-Based Marketing

In B2B consulting, growth doesn’t always mean adding more clients. Often, it’s about attracting better clients. You do that by building key relationships and strengthening your reputation.

So, ask yourself: How can I 10x the relationships that matter most to my business? Maybe it’s connecting with higher-value clients, cultivating key partnerships, or getting on the radar of decision-makers who have the resources to take your business to the next level.

Think about the bold, 10x questions you can start asking in your business today. What constraints can you turn into opportunities for growth? Because the answers to those questions can unlock more than just incremental progress—they can open the door to exponential growth.