Have you ever watched a movie with executive types throwing around words like “friction”, “scaling,” and “leverage,” and your mind draws a blank? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.
Now that you’ve started a business of your own and are thinking of scaling, sorry, growth, those phrases still sound ostentatious and out of place. The only thing that matters to you is ROI (return on investment).
We’re breaking down the three main elements of business growth, also known as the growth stack, without the corporate speak and jargon.
Why the Growth Stack Matters
Think of your growth stack as your business’s operating system. Without it, things crash. With it, you can handle complexity, attract opportunities, and scale (grow) without losing control.
Insights from McGaw suggest that today’s most successful companies are those that refine their stacks to meet 2025’s challenges head-on.
And while every business will have its version, three elements remain universal: payments, payroll, and people. Together, they form the foundation of your global expansion.
Payments Fuel Global Growth
No matter your relationship with money, it’s the beating heart of any company. The smoother your payment infrastructure, the faster your company can grow.
Payments are a signal of trust, credibility, and professionalism. Mercury’s observations of building financial systems for startups show that those that handle money movement confidently earn loyalty and scale more predictably.
The issue is that when you’re expanding internationally, payment complexity multiplies. Numerous currencies, regulatory requirements, and tax considerations can drain your time and energy.
That’s why your payment infrastructure must be flexible and globally connected. Customers, partners, and employees can transact without difficulty.
Payroll: The Silent Powerhouse
While payments earn the spotlight, payroll quietly works in the background, ensuring everything is legally above board.
Managing payroll across borders isn’t only about sending salaries; it’s about compliance, taxation, and accuracy.
A single misstep can mean fines, legal headaches, or worse. Things can get sticky when employing remote workers.
To bypass the admin, partner with Employer of Record services. In a nutshell, an EOR acts as the legal employer in a foreign company on a payroll and HR scale. That’s a big win for you, meaning more built-in support and localized contracts.
Payroll systems that grow with you reduce the paperwork, keep you compliant, and help maintain employee trust, explains Remote, a global HR and payroll platform. So, instead of wrestling with local employment laws and payroll systems in every country, you can plug into a technique that’s already compliant.
People: Your True Differentiator
Yes, sure, you can buy technology and set up systems, but people? That’s where the magic and creativity happen.
Your workforce is your biggest asset. When you hire globally, you gain access to diverse perspectives, specialized skills, and productivity on tap. Nonetheless, recruiting across borders brings with it another bag of challenges. We’re talking visas, employment contracts, benefits administration, and health insurance.
EOR services simplify it. Your business can hire employees in new markets without setting up a local entity, while guaranteeing legal compliance and fair treatment.
Remote adds that EOR platforms make it possible to build teams anywhere in the world while focusing on what matters: culture and innovation.
Building a Growth Stack That Lasts
Every business dreams of hockey-stick growth. However, the smartest companies don’t just scale; they scale organically and sustainably. Your growth stack should:
Be Flexible
It should adapt as your business evolves, adding products or shifting strategy.
Reduce Risk
Payments and payroll carry enormous compliance responsibilities. The right stack makes sure risk is minimized from day one.
Empower People
Technology is powerful, yet people drive progress. Your growth stack should enfranchise employees, not overwhelm them.
Motivational Speech Incoming
Expanding your business isn’t about being all over the place. That mindset is the quickest way to set yourself up for failure. It’s about being ready when opportunity knocks.
A prime example is Slack’s success story. Incorporating a growth-centered stack prepared it for exponential progress. There’s no reason why integrating the same principles (payments, payroll, and people) can’t set you up for global momentum.
Imagine the confidence of entering a new market knowing your payments are seamless, your payroll is compliant, and your global workforce is supported. That’s thriving 101.
We live in an unpredictable world where businesses can rise and fall overnight. Prosperity is the difference between being a footnote and being a force.
Forget about not having an MBA in office lingo or corporate jargon. All that matters is that you base your growth plan on those three winning formulas.
