Try on these “Boom Market” stats for size:

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed today at 24,642.86, up 24% since January 1st and 34% since Election Day 2016. 
• The U.S. economy added 228,000 jobs in November, including 31,000 in the manufacturing sector, and unemployment remained at a 17-year low of 4.1%.
• Consumer Holiday spending is on track to hit its highest levels ever, with online shopping up 16% and even the woebegone “offline” retail sector showing a 3%year-over-year rise.
• Business and Economic Confidence are holding strong and steady at their highest levels since the “Dot Com” boom of the late 1990s.

But what does all of this mean for your business?

In a word, opportunity. For faster growth, for greater profits, for an accelerated path to a business sale and exit.

But opportunity is just that - an exciting but ephemeral thing that when not properly pursued disappears into the ether as competitors rush in and take what should be ours.

So here are four simple strategies to keep this from happening and ensure that we all get our share of this big boom:

#4. Raise Prices. When widely-held assets like stocks and real estate (and now Bitcoin!) are on sustained rises, there builds in every market a class of consumers that is flush with the feeling of wealth and liquidity, and thus becomes far less price sensitive.

And so very often our lowest hanging business fruit is to just give these affluent customers what they want - VIP purchase and consumption experiences at VIP, higher prices.

#3. Raise Capital. Almost all investors now are fully playing with house money, deep-in-the black on their portfolio and itching for more.

This frothiness, when coupled with very low yields on cash instruments, makes it far easier for more speculative investment propositions, like angel, venture capital, and private equity investments, to be evaluated on their individual merits versus more of a blanket “risk anxiety” as is typical in more normal markets.

Raising money will always be a lot of work and energy, but if ever there was a moment in time where the market and investment tailwinds make it far easier to do, now is it.

#2. Build Intangible Assets. So much of our business day is spent on revenue and costs - i.e. generating the most possible sales at the least possible cost to pay the rent, meet payroll, and keep the lights on, etc.

This is all well and good, but in a world where public companies are trading at multiples of 25 times earnings and 2.25 times revenues, it pays dividends to build the kind of intangible assets that "flutter the hearts" of key business stakeholders - investors for sure but employees, contractors, partners and vendors and too.

What are these intangible assets?

Well, for starters, our moving forward business and strategic plan, i.e. our vision of what the future of our industry and market will be, and then what our role in it will be.

Then relatedly, strengthening and boosting our brand and company culture.

And finally, increasing our Innovation Quotient, our ability to change and grow in response to fast-moving markets and competitors.

These are all classic "work on our business and not in it" undertakings, and hot markets like this are the best time to get after them and get them done.

#1. Work Harder. Hard work is a value in itself and a condition for meaningful success in any market or economy.

But in boom times like this, the cost of leisure and of not working hard is particularly and extremely high.

We can rest when markets cool, but right now let's work hard, think big, and get our share of this historic boomtime market.

Give Your Business a Holiday Gift. The holiday season is a natural time to take stock and pride in the accomplishments of the past year, while developing a steely resolve to profit from the awesome opportunities that the New Year is sure to bring.

For the past 18 years, Growthink has helped companies like yours grow more rapidly by creating comprehensive Growth Plans. We catalyzed success for clients including:

• Arganteal (software deployment automation) secured $611K in growth capital.
• DNT Express (logistics) secured $2.2M in debt funding for facility expansion.
• FutureFuel (HRTech+FinTech) successful $1.6M financing round.
• Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) acquired our client manufacturing process control company Ometric.
• MPulse (SaaS), acquired by JDM Technology Group. 
• NativeAds (digital advertising) closed on a $4M venture financing.
• Permacity, completed the world's largest solar rooftop project and increased revenue by over 35%.
• PayCertify (fintech), secured $700k in seed funding.
• ViewQwest, launched in Malaysia in Q3 2016 with Indonesia next in line.

What do all of these success stories have in common?

The entrepreneurs and executives running these great companies understood that whether you're looking to raise capital, sell your company, expand current market share or enter new markets, having a solid growth plan and roadmap is indispensable.

So, in the spirit of the holiday season between now and December 31st, we would like to give your business the gift of a complimentary consultation with one of our growth advisors to help you identify your most valuable growth initiatives to pursue in 2018 and beyond.

To accept, simply click here to arrange a day and time via our online call scheduler.

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