Growth Readiness Levels

GRL 1: Develop and understand your problem / potential solution, and market
When a company is at GRL 1, industry research is beginning, and those results are being translated into future offerings.
Have a general understanding of the…

problem you’re solving and who you are solving it for.
purpose/mission of your business.
values of your business.
vision of your business.

GRL 2: Conceptual Brand
GRL 2 occurs once the basic principles have been studied and practical applications can be applied to those initial findings. GRL 2 companies are very speculative, as there is little to no experimental proof of concept for the offering.

Determine uniqueness.
Develop a message.
Test Messaging
Early Adopters
Brand design.

GRL 3: Business Planning & Strategy
When active research and design begin, a company is elevated to GRL 3. Generally both industry and market studies are required at this level to see if a company is viable and ready to proceed further through the development process. Often during GRL 3, a proof-of-concept model is constructed.

Executive summary: briefly describe what the business is about and why it is or may be successful.
Company description: provides a comprehensive description of your business and its goals, products, services, and target customer base.
Market analysis and strategy: research and identify a company's primary target audience and where to find this audience.
Marketing and sales plan: how you plan to market and sell your products and services.
Competitive analysis: detailed competitive analysis clearly outlines your organization's comparison to competitors.
Products and services description: details of the products and services your company offers that you covered in the executive summary.
Operating plan: Include information regarding how and where your company will operate, how many employees it will have and all other pertinent details related to your organization's operations.
Financial projection and needs: you should include your financial statements, an analysis of these statements, and a cash flow projection. *Consider including a section describing some key metrics.

GRL 4: Functional operations
Once the proof-of-concept is ready, the company advances to GRL 4. During GRL 4, multiple component pieces are tested with one another.

Establish a systematic framework of operation.
Corporate Structure and Structural Management
Internal systems and processes; created to be scalable.
Agility ensured through LEAN methodologies

GRL 5: Polish your Products/Services
GRL 5 is a continuation of GRL 4, however, a company that is at 5 is identified as a breadboard company and must undergo more rigorous testing than a company that is only at GRL 4.

Real traction

Monthly recurring revenues

Growth Levers established

Getting more users (volume).

Expanding distribution channels.

Quality control.

Feedback analytics.
Primarily positive feedback from customers.

GRL 6: Business sustainability
Simulations should be run in environments that are as close to realistic as possible. Once the testing of GRL 5 is complete, a technology may advance to GRL 6. At GRL 6, company has a fully functional prototype or representational model.

Seeing and experimenting with product-market fit.
Assemble a business continuity management team.
Once your business continuity management team is assembled, you must conduct a business impact analysis (BIA).
Implement recovery strategies once you encounter a crisis.

GRL 7: First Growth Stage
GRL 7 companies require that the working model or prototype be demonstrated in a space environment.

Critical moment of scaling.
Evidence of product-market fit.
Enough traction to raise funds.
Due Diligence Preparation
Fundraising Campaign Development
Campaign Execution

GRL 8: Strong Bonds
GRL 8 technology has been tested and "flight qualified" and it's ready for implementation into an already existing market.

Employee relations.
- It is the responsibility of the team leaders to make their employees understand that every individual is working for a common goal - to earn revenues for the organization.
- Motivate employees to talk among themselves.
- Encourage them to have friends at the workplace
Suppliers & partners relations.
- Consistent communication.
- Develop a habit of examining the risk of dealing with a supplier. Ask the supplier about their expertise, years in business, crisis management mechanisms, previous work, and of course, a few references.
- Take a minute to think about the things you love about your good customers. Maybe it’s their timely payments, feedback, loyalty, advocacy, or appreciation.
Customer relationship management.
- A vision for CRM that identifies why the organization wants the initiative and defines its desired results should be established immediately.
- Beginning with a full assessment of past CRM initiatives, participants should be asked what they thought needed to be changed in order to understand what did/did not work.
- Identify the steps to achieve the vision. Core value propositions and motivating factors for customer loyalty should be classified. The company should be revalued on the potential of its customer base rather than on current revenue or profits.

GRL 9: Sustainable Growth & Exit
Once a company has been "flight proven" during a successful launch, it can be called GRL 9. GRL 9 companies have achieved product-market fit, and are looking for gaps in operations to help achieve sustainable growth and additional opportunities to capture market share.

Gap Analysis completed.
Growth Strategy developed and implemented.
Diversification methods researched and pursued.