Your business, or latest initiative, begins as Version One, aka ‘1.0’. It marks the first edition of a new thing. Whether it progresses beyond that is dependent upon many factors.

As Version 1.0 moves into the market, it encounters real-world turbulence and market forces that shape progress. If you’re fortunate and make wise decisions, the business grows, improves and begins to take on new qualities. The start-up evolves with updated versions of the original thing, as Version 1.1 replaces the original; there may even be subtle tweaks to that edition that don’t quite move you to the next level, but refine the current one. Perhaps 1.11, 1.12 or further small modifications are necessary before that level improves enough for the next step to occur.

Ideally, 1.1 lays the foundation for 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and more to be built upon it; each layer is dependent upon the former for strength and stability. Evidence of progress can be seen through measured growth and improvements in key metrics. Incremental progress continues to raise the bar and you may climb to Version 1.9, which is a much more polished iteration compared to where you began; persistence and a commitment to continuous improvement accompany each step to what many refer to as “the next level”.

Eventually, however, there’s only so far you can take your first edition. Tweaks around the edges don’t fundamentally change its potential, but they do position it for a transitional step. The core elements of People, Systems (Information) and Capital must be balanced like a Three-Legged Stool . That alignment allows step change to occur. And the decisions around that inflection point determine what happens next.

Many business, and related initiatives, reach a certain point, but then slow down and may even stall. It requires a conscious decision and a massive amount of collaborative energy to level up from Version 1.0. Version TWOpointZERO, or ‘2.0’, awaits, but that’s a big leap to make. Are you striving for Next, or Higher?

Version 2.0 is a fresh and much more powerful edition of the original idea. It’s also a shining example of what happens when a talented team of people focus on what’s truly possible, rather than merely being content with buffing a bit more.

I find truth in the concept that “what got you here won’t take you there”. The combination of essential ingredients is always shifting, but sometimes it takes a fresh infusion of something really big to fuel genuine transformation into something exceptional. If we purposefully maximize such moments, then… 2.0, Here we Go!

Tempus Maximize!