Running fast-growing digital businesses is a challenging, rapidly evolving process that can never slow down. Any company eager to stay ahead must have no limits for innovation. PagSeguro, UOL, 99app, Movile, iFood, Flaner and Unitrust are some examples* of game-changers that successfully address high digital demands by combining the right minds, practices and tools.

But it’s no use being the fastest or the most agile if you take the wrong strategy, the wrong direction. It all starts here. And only accessing the best multidisciplinary teams you are able to do it the right way. Teams made of strategists, developers, engineers, designers, makers and dreamers that work together to continuously think, build and deploy disruptive, market-fitted and profitable digital products and services. Always opening new fronts and possibilities to scale and expand your business.

And note that when we talk about “digital”, it can be less of “a thing” and more “a way of doing things” – more fast, economical, effective, complete or/and convenient for its clients. Providing genuine solutions to problems and aspirations your competitors have overlooked. This requires an innovation mindset across the organization, an environment that encourages the generation and concretization of new ideas. And creatively partnering with companies that can amplify internal capabilities and help achieve infinite digital power.

So, what can we learn with fast-growing digital businesses to leverage success and unlock opportunities in an era of rapid change, global competition and increasing clients’ expectations? 

Innovation is always-on

Fast-growing digital businesses have innovation as their backbone. They ARE innovation. It’s on their DNA. How do you “deal” with innovation at your company? Think about it and demystify the concept. Innovation is a culture, not a component. It isn’t just getting a cork board where people can pin colored post-it with their moon-shot thoughts. It’s continuous discipline, sweat and methodology. From top to bottom, across every department.

The innovation ecosystem is in fact extremely complex and hard to navigate if you are on your own. Connect and interact with others. Be inspired by them. Count on specialized partners. Define quick goals to obtain quick wins from quick learnings – this motivates the team to go forward, one step at a time! Don’t be afraid to experiment, to try new approaches, and to go beyond what common sense practices recommend. Focus on current and future client needs, hear and consider end-users feedback, anticipate trends, challenge the status quo. Summing up, never stop innovating to never stop growing.

Talent is king

If you take one only advice from the front-runners, go with this one: there’s nothing more important than investing in talent. In preparing people to evolve and grow with your company – to your company.  So, always prioritize accessing, connecting, engaging and empowering the best minds. It’s impossible to expand a business with demotivated or apathetic teams. Bring them to life! Give them a purpose and make them feel they are part of a bigger thing. Each member must know that has an ACTIVE role in the company’s destiny.

Turn all people into entrepreneurs and innovators with a systemic view of goals, short- and medium-term challenges. Create a fast, fluent network of problem identification (to be solved) and insights/ideas generation (to be leveraged). Value any internal contributions, from everyone, and always return feedback. Ensure them the tools and knowledge they need to evolve, to have the appropriate work-life balance and, above all, to be happy and fulfilled in what they do – wherever they do it.

Being a living cell

Fast-growing digital businesses have a structure similar to a living cell. They are made of specialized and multidisciplinary teams with focus and autonomy at every stage of the journey with customers and partners – with maximum empathy. This is vital in terms of scaling and delivery capacity. And to successfully address an ever-changing market, you need to be adaptable, responsive and proactive – only possible if your company behaves like a living cell.

Finally, remember that metrics shape behaviors: the entire company must be looking for the same result, with the same purpose (transparency, please!), creating an environment conducive to collaboration where everyone is involved and committed.

Through our Global Growth Framework, Invillia is ready to guide you on all of this and give you the same power that fast-growing digital businesses already have. Get in touch and let’s do it together. 

*empowered by Invillia ?