I recently finished reading The Art of Scale by Jason Goldberg, a masterful exploration of the craft of scaling businesses. Tailored specifically for scale-ups navigating the critical 10 to 200 headcount stage, this book is particularly insightful for those operating in emerging markets. It is a comprehensive guide that breaks down the barriers to scaling, offering practical tools to overcome them. Goldberg tackles the challenges of scaling with a refreshing mix of clarity and practicality, organising the content into six parts.
Part one lays the scientific foundation for scaling, while parts two through six delve into five pivotal disciplines: strategy, people, execution, finance, and leadership. Each chapter is packed with actionable principles, downloadable tools, and curated reading recommendations, providing a solid framework for anyone eager to master the art of scaling. Real-world anecdotes and case studies enrich the book, making it both engaging and immediately applicable. The inclusion of 50 free tools and 150 book summaries online further enhances its utility as a guide for growth.
Goldberg’s expertise as a scale-up coach and leader shines through, having co-founded Edge Growth and launched initiatives like the Edge Ventures arm and the Art of Scale SaaS platform, which supports founders in mastering scaling. His credentials are impressive, and his mission to empower African entrepreneurs resonates throughout the book.
That said, while the book is undoubtedly a treasure trove of insights, I found it overly long at nearly 470 pages. Parts five and six, focusing on finance and leadership, felt somewhat redundant and could have been standalone publications. The exhaustive step-by-step guides and acronyms such as POS, LOS, and OKR were at times overwhelming, detracting from the book’s otherwise seamless flow. These sections could have been streamlined for better readability.
For entrepreneurs and leaders, the first three chapters are particularly invigorating, reinforcing foundational principles and revisiting key concepts from thought leaders like Peter Drucker and Stephen Covey. However, by the later chapters, the narrative seemed to lose momentum, giving the impression that content was added to meet expectations rather than enhance value.
Despite these criticisms, the book remains a valuable resource, particularly for entrepreneurs willing to invest time in reading and applying its lessons. The structure of the book, with well-spaced text and manageable chapter lengths, makes it accessible even for those with limited time. I would recommend reading it during a quieter period, perhaps on holiday, to fully absorb its insights.
In summary, The Art of Scale is a commendable contribution to the literature on scaling businesses, particularly in the African context. Its thoroughness and practicality make it a must-read for leaders seeking to grow with confidence and clarity, even if it might have benefitted from a touch more brevity.
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