In a recent blog, we explored the five stages of business growth and what each one demands from the founder. We talked about how businesses don't just get bigger, they change. And how the people leading them need to change with them.
We know you guys enjoy seeing us turn the hard questions on ourselves…so here we go!
What stage of business is Juno in? And are we doing the things we tell our clients they need to do?
We're in Stage 3: Build the Business
In the traditional five-stage growth model, this is known as the Success stage.
We've proven the business model. We've built a team of experienced operators, established strong client relationships and demonstrated that our approach to advisory genuinely works. We've also moved beyond Juno being entirely about Adam; our clients work with different advisors across the team, and we're building a business that delivers the Juno experience through the collective expertise of our people.
But! We're not pretending we've cracked everything.
We're still building the structure, leadership, systems and growth capability to support where we want to go. We've built a successful business and now we're focused on building one that can scale without losing what makes it special. And that's a different challenge altogether.
What Will It Take to Get to Stage 4?
Stage 4 — what we call Get Out of the Way, or Take-off in the traditional model — is where the business has the capability, leadership and resources to grow without everything depending on the founders.
For Juno, there are four priorities:
1. Build a business that doesn't depend on Adam to grow
Adam has been the driving force behind Juno's growth and relationships. That's been a huge strength, but it can't be the only growth engine forever. We're building a more deliberate approach to attracting clients through our brand, content, events, referral relationships and the networks of our broader team. We want great business owners to find Juno because of what Juno stands for, not simply because they know Adam.
2. Build the next generation of leaders
As Juno grows, we need people who can do more than deliver exceptional client outcomes. We need leaders who can develop other advisors, build relationships, contribute to growth and take real ownership of parts of the business. That means creating genuine opportunities for the team to step up, while giving them the trust, support and accountability to succeed.
3. Create consistency without becoming corporate
We want every client to have an exceptional Juno experience, regardless of which advisor they're working with. That means getting clearer about how we work, how we measure outcomes, how we share knowledge and how we support each other. But there's a balance to strike. We don't want to turn experienced operators into people following a script. The goal is consistency in experience and outcomes, not identical personalities or approaches.
4. Grow without compromising what matters
We have ambitious plans. But more clients, more advisors and more revenue aren't the only measures of success. We want to remain commercially strong, deliver exceptional client outcomes and create a business our team genuinely loves being part of. Growth needs to make Juno better, not just bigger.
What Does This Require from Adam as Founder?
Probably some of the same things we challenge our clients on (and yes, we appreciate the irony).
Adam's greatest strengths have always been his ability to build relationships, spot opportunities, challenge thinking and get people excited about what's possible. Those strengths remain incredibly valuable. But as Juno grows, the role needs to keep evolving.
Less being involved in everything. More focus on where he adds the greatest value.
In practice that means leading Juno's growth and building the relationships that open doors. Continuing to shape the vision and direction of the business. Developing others who can build relationships and create opportunities too. Trusting the team to make decisions and do things differently from how he might do them. And resisting the temptation to jump back into areas the business is now capable of owning.
The challenge isn't to become less important to Juno, it's to make sure Juno can become more successful without needing more of Adam.
And What Does It Require from Sharron as Director?
The role is different, but the challenge is just as real.
A big part of Sharron's contribution to Juno has been making things happen – leading people, solving problems, building structure and turning ideas into action. But as the business grows, the goal shifts from being the person who makes everything happen to building a business where more people can.
That means building the systems, structure and operating rhythm that allow Juno to scale. Developing the team and creating real opportunities for people to take greater ownership. Protecting the quality of the client experience as we grow. Strengthening the culture and making Juno a place great people want to be. Turning growth ambitions into clear priorities, decisions and action. And challenging Adam and the team when different thinking – or a difficult call – is needed.
For someone who quite likes (loves) making things happen, it’s easier said than done.
Are We Practicing What We Preach?
We'd like to think so. But we're also very aware that knowing what needs to happen and actually doing it are two different things. It's one of the reasons Juno exists in the first place.
We know how easy it is to get caught up in the day-to-day, put off difficult decisions or keep doing something yourself because it's quicker. We're not immune to any of that.
The important thing is recognising where the business is, being honest about what the next stage requires and being prepared to change how you operate. That's exactly what we're working on.
So What's the End Game?
We're not building Juno simply to get bigger.
We're building a business that delivers exceptional outcomes for more clients, creates real opportunities for our people and gives us genuine choice about what comes next. The business we're helping our clients build is the same kind of business we're trying to build ourselves. One that doesn't rely on a couple of people doing everything. One with strong leadership, clear direction and a team that can make things happen. One that creates more of what matters.
We're not at Stage 4 yet, but we know what it's going to take to get there…and now comes the hard bit. Actually doing it.
Read the first piece in this series: The Stages of Business Growth — and What Each One Demands from the Founder
