Scaling a startup often brings unexpected opportunities that can propel a business to new heights. In this article, insights from a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and a CEO reveal how these professionals leveraged opportunities to foster growth. The first insight discusses conducting a benchmarking exercise, while the final insight focuses on offering relationship-building services. With twelve insights, this blog post offers a rich collection of expert strategies for maximizing unexpected opportunities.
- Conduct a Benchmarking Exercise
- Collaborate with Larger Industry Networks
- Expand Through Virtual Consultations
- Partner with Vendors and Manufacturers
- Invest in Customer Service
- Increase Visibility Through Podcasts
- Leverage an Authentic Backstory
- Expand Eco-Friendly Product Offerings
- Target Relevant Sectors
- Refine Focus on Small Businesses
- Collaborate with High-Profile Entrepreneurs
- Offer Relationship-building Services
Conduct a Benchmarking Exercise
As a cyber-security startup, we were engaged by a leading UK university to help them deliver a program of work that uplifted their identity and access management capabilities, ensuring users could securely connect to the right digital resources.
As part of this work, the head of cyber security asked for our view on how they were positioned in terms of their cyber defenses against other universities. We proposed performing a benchmarking exercise with other UK universities to answer this question and, as a result, ended up interviewing 22 leading UK universities and comparing how they all approached cyber security, their different challenges, and responses to those.
We produced an industry insights report, which we then published and gained some positive PR and brand awareness from. But moreover, from the benchmarking interviews themselves, we also gleaned a lot of useful sales and business development information regarding what different universities were focusing on in the coming months and what investments they were making into strategic initiatives. We realized we now had a lot of rich information that could then be used to propose and design bespoke cyber-security propositions for prospective university clients and ultimately further our business development work in the sector.
This paid off by us winning a £100,000 project almost immediately with one of the university participants, and we have a number of other opportunities in the pipeline too. We’re now going to make these benchmarking comparison reports central to our sector business development strategy going forward.
Jonny Pelter
Chief Information Security Officer (Ciso) and Founder, CyPro
Collaborate with Larger Industry Networks
One unexpected opportunity that came from scaling Alpas was the chance to collaborate with a larger healthcare network that shared our commitment to mental and behavioral health. As we grew, our reputation for high-quality, compassionate care reached new audiences, and a prominent health system approached us about integrating Alpas programs into their network. This partnership allowed us to reach more patients and broaden our impact in ways we hadn’t initially envisioned.
To make the most of this, we worked closely with their teams to ensure seamless integration, developing specialized training for their staff on our care approach. This collaboration not only accelerated our growth but also positioned Alpas as a model for compassionate care in large-scale healthcare settings. By aligning with a partner that valued our mission, we created a sustainable growth channel that expanded our reach and deepened our influence in the industry.
Sean Smith
CEO & Head of HR, Alpas Wellness
Expand Through Virtual Consultations
One unexpected opportunity that arose from scaling Right Lawyers was the chance to expand our service offerings through virtual consultations. Initially, we focused primarily on in-person meetings, as many clients preferred face-to-face interactions, especially in sensitive legal matters like divorce. However, as we grew and began exploring new ways to manage the increasing demand for our services, we decided to implement virtual consultations as a more flexible option.
What we didn’t anticipate was how popular this would become—not just locally, but also with clients from outside the Las Vegas area who were considering relocation or needed legal advice on Nevada law. The virtual format allowed us to reach a wider audience than we initially expected, which opened up opportunities to work with clients who might not have been able to travel or who preferred the convenience of online consultations.
To leverage this opportunity for further growth, we enhanced our digital-marketing strategy to specifically promote our virtual services. We updated our website to make it easy for clients to book virtual consultations and emphasized the convenience and accessibility of these options in our online ads. Additionally, we streamlined our internal processes to handle the increase in remote clients, ensuring a smooth and professional experience despite the virtual setting.
By embracing the unexpected demand for virtual consultations, we were able to expand our client base beyond geographic limitations, improve operational efficiency, and increase overall client satisfaction. This not only contributed to immediate growth but also positioned us to continue offering flexible service options that cater to the changing needs of our clients, further fueling our long-term success.
Rock Rocheleau
Founder & Attorney, Right Lawyers
Partner with Vendors and Manufacturers
Ironically, the scaling of Display Now opened up an unexpected partnership opportunity—to partner with hardware manufacturers. Initially, our SaaS platform was focused on transforming existing screens into marketing screens, but as the size of the customer base grew, screen manufacturers approached us with interest in bundling our software with their hardware.
It wasn’t a distraction, but rather it was a growth lever in disguise. We made exclusive integrations fast on the display so their displays are “Display Now-ready.” This led to a very smooth user experience. The alliance worked well for us by increasing the market size with increased brand presence through co-marketing activities. What was needed was to be flexible and bring our product line into focus in association with this new venture, and in return, by not veering off from this principal objective, it helped us enter into a whole new category.
The lesson is this: Growth can bring up new possibilities that perhaps you never thought of before, and the ability to pivot quickly unlocks significant streams of new revenue.
Chris Dukich
Owner, Display Now
Invest in Customer Service
As a founder, one surprising opportunity that turned up during the scaling of my start-up, Amarra, came from an unexpected source—customer feedback. We initially focused on traditional marketing strategies, but then we received an influx of comments from customers citing word-of-mouth as their reference point. Recognizing the potential here, we decided to significantly invest in our customer service and experience, shaping it as a pillar of our brand’s reputation.
One strategy we implemented was a referral-reward program, incentivizing our current customers to bring in new ones effectively. This pivot significantly increased our customer base, and its ripple effects boosted our organic growth in the long run. It demonstrated that in the dynamic environment of a start-up, sometimes the most significant opportunities for growth aren’t in your business plan but come from listening attentively to your customers.
Kunal Madan
Founder, Amarra
Increase Visibility Through Podcasts
An opportunity that arose from scaling was receiving invitations to become more visible. I was invited to podcasts that were perfect for my niche and had listeners who were all my ideal clients.
People came up to me, saying how much they enjoyed my emails, and I even received recommendations from individuals I had never worked with. The perception and visibility of my success spurred them to recommend me. Scaling also helped me make a bigger impact—I was able to spend time mentoring someone who had very little belief in themselves or in whether entrepreneurship was right for them.
When you scale your business, you’re not just growing profits, you’re growing your influence and your ability to inspire others.
Scaling isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the ripple effect you create in your community and beyond.
Mangla Sachdev
Founder, Expat Business In A Bag
Leverage an Authentic Backstory
One unexpected opportunity that arose while scaling Batana Babe, my natural-beauty-product startup, was the organic growth of a loyal customer base interested in the rich backstory of our Batana oil sourced from Honduras. I didn’t initially realize the power of this authentic and unique narrative; however, it quickly became clear that my customers valued not only the high-quality product but also the ethical sourcing and community support behind it.
To leverage this opportunity, I doubled down on sharing our story, mission, and the process of how we extract and produce our undiluted, pure Batana oil. This led to a significant boost in our branding and customer engagement. We started to include more backstories within our product packaging, initiated interactive social-media campaigns highlighting our sourcing process, and created a blog featuring updates from our Honduras farm.
This strategy substantiated our commitment to quality and ethics and fostered a deeper bond between us and our customers, thus converting them into our greatest advocates.
Ashley Smith
Owner, Batana Babe
Expand Eco-Friendly Product Offerings
When I was scaling The Trade Table, an unexpected opportunity came from an increased demand for high-quality, energy-efficient home products. We initially focused on luxury kitchen appliances, but the surge in interest for eco-friendly alternatives presented a new business path.
We saw this as a chance to expand our offerings and reach a broader audience. We started to include tankless water heaters, one of the most efficient ways to supply a home with hot water, in our product portfolio. Not only did this enhance our appeal to conscious consumers, but it also boosted our average transaction value, contributing significantly to our growth.
This experience taught us to pay attention to market trends and be adaptable. It also reinforced the importance of diversifying our product offerings to meet evolving customer needs. We always keep a finger on the pulse of the market while staying true to our core values.
Forrest Webber
Owner, The Trade Table
Target Relevant Sectors
An unexpected opportunity arose during the early days of Slipintosoft when we noticed our products were gaining popularity within the wellness sector. Our luxury silk sleepwear and bedding became sought out by wellness influencers and spa hotels, who recognized the skin and hair benefits of silk.
Initially, our marketing focus was purely on the quality and luxury aspect of our silk products, but this emerging trend led us to pivot our branding to also emphasize health and beauty benefits. We swiftly expanded our marketing strategies to include partnerships with wellness influencers and businesses, and this new approach opened up a whole new segment for growth. This wellness angle diversified our customer base and cemented our brand value in offering products that enhance lifestyle on multiple levels.
Damon Wu
Founder, Slipintosoft
Refine Focus on Small Businesses
An unexpected opportunity that arose from scaling our startup was realizing that founders hiring for the first time were approaching us for guidance. This helped us identify smaller businesses and start-ups as our core demographic.
We leveraged this by refining our focus, using the successful results from other founders who used our platform to onboard and attract similar businesses. This clear focus allowed us to tailor our offerings, create more-targeted solutions, and drive growth through word-of-mouth and case studies showcasing the tangible benefits of our services.
Paolo Marchica
Co-Founder, Celect
Collaborate with High-Profile Entrepreneurs
One unexpected opportunity that arose from scaling my startup was the chance to collaborate with high-profile entrepreneurs like Robert Kiyosaki, Samuel Leeds, and Mario Nawfal. As our PR agency gained recognition, these partnerships emerged organically, allowing us to showcase our capabilities on a global stage.
I leveraged this opportunity by amplifying their success stories through targeted PR campaigns, which not only boosted their brands but also positioned our agency, Level-Up PR, as the go-to service for elite personal branding. This, in turn, attracted even more high-caliber clients, creating a positive feedback loop of growth and credibility for both the clients and our agency.
Sahil Sachdeva
CEO & Founder, Level Up PR
Offer Relationship-building Services
One unexpected opportunity we discovered while scaling ZenWave Talent was the demand from our clients for more than just recruitment support—they wanted strategic talent consulting to help shape their entire talent lifecycle. As a founder deeply committed to building impactful, long-term partnerships, I saw this as a unique opportunity to expand our role.
In response, we broadened our services to include talent mapping, persona-driven recruiting, and comprehensive onboarding strategies. By engaging more deeply with our clients and aligning our work with their overarching business goals, we evolved from a talent provider to a trusted, strategic partner.
This shift allowed us to not only drive client retention but also truly set ZenWave Talent apart. It’s been a powerful reminder that in growing a company, unexpected challenges often lead to the most meaningful growth.
Stephanie Gilbert
Founder, CEO, ZenWave Talent