Why ‘Every Time’ is Time to Grow Your Business
Here I am as a boy, already dreaming big in the saddle.
It’s easy to think growth needs to wait for the right moment — when the market is stable or you’re finally settled after a big move. But in reality, every time can be the right time to grow your business.
You could focus on limitations, or you can look at how today’s circumstances might actually create opportunity. That mindset seems to be one of Spokane’s superpowers.
I’m consistently inspired by conversations I have with the CEOs and business owners I coach and mentor in the greater Spokane area. One is pursuing a major merger or acquisition to position their company as a leader in an opportunity-rich industry. Another is guiding early- and mid-career managers through a leadership accelerator. A third is expanding a long-established brand by diversifying its product line. And one family business owner is thoughtfully navigating the complexities of succession planning.
The common thread? Each one is focusing on long term strategies to find where real growth is possible with input from a diverse group of non-competing peers.
Growth rarely happens when you're stuck in a mental cul-de-sac. You need a broad range of insights and ideas when facing decisions as significant as leadership transitions, selling your business, or merging with another company.
I understand the power of a CEO peer group on a cellular level. My most significant business growth occurred as a Vistage member, where I met a visionary partner and we dove headfirst into two ventures. With guidance from our Vistage brain trust, we accomplished what felt impossible: launching and selling a tech company for eight figures in just 18 months. This feat was all while managing our primary business, and as I was adopting my seventh child (I now have eight kids). It might have seemed crazy to take it all on, but the strength and support of our Vistage community carried us through.
Growing Together
I come from a family with humble beginnings. My dad had a small business and worked incredibly hard, but it was a struggle for him. I was lucky, though; my parents might not have had wealth, but they had huge hearts. They opened our home to others in need, modeling generosity, empathy, and community. That gave me a different kind of richness: the belief that true success lies in elevating others. That’s what led me, after our company sold, to pursue my passion for executive coaching.
Partnering with Vistage as a coach was a natural choice because I strongly value peer advisory. I’ve experienced how the right question at the right time can change everything — it did for me. It’s the most effective way I’ve found to make better decisions and grow as a leader.
Here I am as an adult, living the dream by helping others fulfill theirs as a Vistage Chair.
Here I am as an adult, living the dream by helping others fulfill theirs as a Vistage Chair.
In our meetings, members share high-stakes and sometimes deeply personal challenges they’re facing in their businesses. Through honest feedback and wide-ranging perspectives from peers, entirely new ideas start to surface — often ones they hadn’t even considered before.
A member recently attended a meeting feeling stuck, but left with a completely different, expansive plan. They no longer felt trapped by what had once seemed like insurmountable obstacles to growth. In another case, we helped a member brainstorm backup sales options to strengthen their negotiating power on a deal. Moments like these remind me that being a Vistage Chair is exactly where I’m meant to be.
Spokane is a community that faces challenges head-on. That determination keeps Spokane constantly moving toward a bright future, with Vistage group members playing an active role in shaping what’s next. I’m proud to be a CEO coach in a city that’s truly forward-thinking. A growing wave of investment fuels Spokane’s role in major global industries including tech, aerospace, and bioscience. With an educated workforce and strong support for training and development, it’s no wonder Spokane is an ideal place to launch a business. Employees thrive here, drawn by affordable housing, outdoor access, and a vibrant arts and culture scene.
That forward momentum you see in Spokane is the same energy driving a Vistage CEO peer advisory group. Just as the city creates fertile ground for innovation and growth, Vistage provides leaders with the space they need to think bigger and deliver results.
The collective wisdom of a Vistage CEO peer advisory group can help you rise above personal challenges and navigate through economic and political upheaval with greater clarity and confidence. These groups empower leaders to stay proactive, bounce back stronger, and think ahead, turning every moment — good or trying — into an opportunity to grow.
The things we love in business and life don’t have to wait. Growth begins the moment we choose it, not when everything falls into place perfectly. Now is the time.
If you're interested in experiencing Vistage for yourself, join us for an exclusive CEO peer advisory meeting in Spokane. Register here. Have questions? Connect with me on LinkedIn or email richard.johnson@vistagechair.com.