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Paul Sparrow
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Recent Posts
From Recovery to Recession: A CEO’s Guide to Thriving Through Economic Shifts
When markets shift—and they always do—the winners are those who don’t wait to react. They move first, and fast. No matter which of the four cycles you’re currently experiencing, one constant remains true: waiting for things to be more favorable is a bad strategy. Additionally, doing nothing is not an option. Companies that anticipate, plan, and act in alignment with their current business phase can maintain resilience, capture opportunities, and outperform competitors who simply “wait it out.”
When the Founder Is the Rainmaker: How to Scale Without Losing the Spark
Mon, Jul 7, 2025 — In many founder-led businesses, the founder isn’t just the leader—they’re also the best (and often only) rainmaker. They land the big deals. They have the trusted relationships. They know the pitch inside and out because they are the pitch. It works—until it doesn’t. As the business grows, this model creates a bottleneck. Every new opportunity depends on one and only person. And it’s the same person every time. But there’s a downside. When that person is also responsible for running the business, mentoring the team, and shaping the vision, something eventually gives.
Your Legacy, Amplified: Preparing the Business for Growth Without You at the Helm
Wed, Jun 25, 2025 — Every founder I’ve ever met pours themselves into their businesses—every decision, every milestone, every customer won (or lost) feels personal. And rightfully so. For many, the company isn't just a source of income; it's the embodiment of years of grit, sacrifice, and belief. But here’s the hard truth: what helped a company grow in its early years often isn’t what’s needed to scale. At some point, the business becomes bigger than one person—even the founder. That moment doesn't have to feel like an ending. In fact, it’s the beginning of something powerful.
Navigating Economic Waves: Charting a Course for Business Growth in 2025 and Beyond
Wed, Jun 18, 2025 — In today's rapidly changing business landscape, success isn't about surviving—it's about strategically thriving. As a seasoned executive and growth strategist, I've learned that understanding economic trends isn't just an academic exercise; it's the difference between being a market leader and a market follower.
Shifting from a Founder-Led Business
Wed, Oct 30, 2024 — I recently sat down with Scott Alexander from Jairus Marketing for another insightful discussion about a topic that resonates deeply with both of us: shifting from a founder-led business to more sustainable business models. This is especially relevant for early-stage companies, particularly those in the healthcare sector where the CEO is vital as both the visionary and primary salesperson.
Winning the Budgeting Game in Healthcare Marketing, Part Two
Thu, Oct 24, 2024 — In the first part of this blog, my conversation with Scott Alexander from Jairus Marketing touched on some critical topics in budgeting for healthcare marketing, especially the need to re-think the planning process through a data-driven lens. In part two, we will talk about strategic investments and calculating ROI, while providing some actionable steps you can take to change your budgeting mindset and practice.
Winning the Budgeting Game in Healthcare Marketing, Part One
Thu, Oct 10, 2024 — In today's competitive healthcare landscape, securing and effectively utilizing marketing budgets is crucial for success. However, traditional budgeting methods may not be sufficient today as the industry shifts from sales-heavy to marketing-focused strategies, and a plethora of data and analytics become available to help measure goal attainment. I recently spoke with Scott Alexander from Jairus Marketing about smart budgeting in today’s healthcare industry. We talked about how today’s budgets are complex, data-driven decision-making processes compared to the arbitrary and unscientific budget exercises of the past. Winning the budgeting game in healthcare requires understanding regulatory concerns, operational considerations, and clinical/hospital systems as critical pieces of the value analysis equation.
Healthcare Marketing: Getting Your Value Propositions Right, Part 2
Thu, Oct 3, 2024 — My last blog featured highlights from a recent conversation with Jairus Marketing CEO Scott Alexander. This conversation spotlighted the long-reaching benefits of compelling value propositions in healthcare marketing. For the second half of this topic, let’s explore how tailoring value propositions to specific audiences is essential for success in healthcare.
Healthcare Marketing: Getting Your Value Propositions Right
Wed, Sep 25, 2024 — As a healthcare marketing specialist, I know how challenging it can be to articulate your value to your target customers. I often see what people think are effective value propositions, but they're just sales-based marketing buzzwords that require a dictionary, an encyclopedia, or a concordance to understand. I recently spoke with Scott Alexander, CEO of Jairus Marketing, an innovative healthcare marketing firm that tactically helps healthcare companies build brand awareness, market demand, and sales opportunities.
Preparing for Tomorrow: How to Thrive Amid 2024’s Economic Uncertainty
Wed, Aug 7, 2024 — It is no secret that the US economy is experiencing more turbulence than most jetliners – and that is saying a lot! If you have been following ITR Economics' monthly Trends Report™, you are probably aware of ITR’s mild recession forecast for the industrial sectors and slower growth forecast for GDP this year. ITR is also predicting a 3.0% rate of inflation in 2024. Now here is the big question: Should you be worried? Regardless of the projected intensity, our economy is nonetheless experiencing a choppy season. Though having a plan is crucial, keeping your eye on the bigger picture is paramount. ITR forecasts that the US economy will shift back into broad-based growth, moving from a downward economy at the end of 2024 to a period of sustained growth during 2025. The transition from sluggishness to accelerating rise over 12 months is noteworthy.