Robert H. Bloom, commonly known as Bob Bloom, is a widely respected authority on business growth and author of ‘The Inside Advantage‘. The book provides readers with a simple path of discovery: a process that will help them identify the core strengths inside their business and create a realistic, low cost strategy that will quickly drive growth.

Bloom began as an entrepreneur, and grew a local advertising agency into a successful national agency.

He later became the US Chairman and CEO of Publicis Worldwide. As the leader of a $4.6 billion global marketing services company, he helped craft and implement the growth strategies of some of the world’s largest companies and brands. Bloom managed over 1000 employees, 12 US offices, and a roster of clients including BMW, L’Oreal, Nestle’, Whirlpool, Zales Jewelers, and T-Mobile.

Bloom currently advises firms of every type and size on their growth strategies.

What was it that first caused you to recognize the commercial need for growth consultation?

Growth is the most universal problem in business.

Throughout my 45 year in strategic marketing, i have been obsessed with business growth. I’ve grown my businesses and those of my domestic and international clients.

Do you believe all businesses can benefit for external growth counseling?

I believe that all businesses - every kind and size - must grow or die.

Some business leaders have the experience, vision and instinct to grow their business without external assistance. However, most business executives, managers and entrepreneurs lack this talent and require the perspective, systems and coaching that’s offered by business schools, business books and consultants.

There is an abundance of these resources. Almost all claim expertise in growing businesses, but precious few have actually created and sustained growth in the marketplace. I advise all growth-starved leaders to demand proof of success in the business trenches from any external source they consider.

In your book ‘The Inside Advantage‘ you have suggested that the growth process can be simplified into 4 easy steps: ‘who, what, how and own it’. Do you think that these steps can truly aid all businesses, regardless of size and diversity?

There are many growth methodolgies – most are highly complex because they have been created by theorists who want to justify and sell their theories. My approach is not theory and it is public domain - free to all who want to use it.

The growth discovery process is practical, logical and profoundly simple. Here’s why - I know from experience that business leaders are time-constrained and impatient.they want a system they can understand and apply to their business immediately, if not sooner.

Here’s the reality - only four steps are required to grow a business, regardless of its size, type or location. Steps could be added to the process, but they would be useless and add complexity.

You make statements such as ‘a flourishing business should double in size every five years’. Do you believe there are any exceptions to this rule?

This goal is ambitious. But it is also achieveable. Many well run businesses perform at this rate; many other businesses may never achieve this rate of growth.

The value of an ambitious, achievable growth goal is similar to goals set by athletes, generals and ordinary citizens who every day inspire themselves to meet or exceed the goals they have set.

Throughout your lifetime, you grew a local advertising agency into a well respected international agency. What do you believe has been the key to your success?

I prefer to measure my career, not by my successes or my equally numerous failures, but by my personal growth.

Several experiences were particularly valuable: my two years as a gunnery officer on a destroyer in the us navy tought me discipline; my early years in advertising tought me that retailers measure their sales every single day; my later years in advertising tought me to avoid the stifling bureauracy of global giants.

After my book was published in 2007, i have been exposed to an exceptionally wide variety of businesses and am thrilled to help them find solutions to their growth challenges. Today, i focus exclusivly on my enduring passion - growth.

Do you believe that the global recession should affect business growth? Is it possible to continue growing in a turbulent economic climate?

Growth in this global recessionary economy is more important than at in ay other time in my life.

Every business must find a way to grow top line without investing in infrastructure or advertising. This is the moment to capitalize on the firm’s undiscovered or under-utilized inside advantage and use the firm’s absolutly free internal resource - imagination.

Bob Bloom is speaking at the National Growth Summit ‘09 in Australia 24-26th February 2009.

Interviewed by Nicholas - entrepreneur and founder of Nimbler Website Design and Development

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Posted on February 11th, 2009 by Nicholas