A 21 Year Formula for Growth

March 1, 2011 | By Mike Cameron

My wife and I bought Christopherson Business Travel 21 years ago today. Today is also the one year anniversary of us buying Andavo Travel. I’ve often been asked: is there a formula we have used for consistent growth? How did we grow from $1 Million to $240 Million in 21 years? Anniversaries are good days to reflect upon things.

The formula is:  the right people + the right value proposition + the right incentives = GROWTH! I know, that sounds simple, right? Yes, it’s that simple.

The Right People

Ultimately this is the only answer. Employing great people is the only practice that creates consistent growth. Jim Collins called it “getting the right people on the bus.” Others have called it cultivating a reputation as a “talent magnet.” At Christopherson, we have been fortunate to surround ourselves with an amazing team of “the right people.”

The Right Value Proposition

A more fitting title could be “Unique Value Proposition.” We relentlessly evaluate the unique services we provide to our clients through our agents, account managers and proprietary technology. We then ceaselessly use these evaluations to create innovative travel management solutions to meet our client’s needs and exceed their expectations.  

The Right Incentives

Another way to describe this is a willingness to “share the wealth.” If you are willing to provide financial rewards and align them with good performance, amazing things can happen. The pie actually gets bigger. Some call this “abundance theory”; I call it the right way to do business.

So what does our future look like? You got it – more good people, more exceptional buy viagra online services, more innovative technology and continued incentives; all coming together to produce more growth!