Hi! I’m Jacob Aldridge, International Business Advisor and Speaker – I’ve worked with more than 2,000 business owners and created more than $1Billion of increased revenue, so trust me when I tell you “Growth” is the most dangerous word in business.
Why is “Growth” a dangerous word – when 99% of the businesses that I talk to say that growth is one of their key objectives?
Well, the challenge comes from this: Growth can mean many different things, and some of those things are mutually exclusive.
Two team members who agree that “growth” is exactly what your business needs right now … might go away and implement competing strategies!
The challenge comes because growth means so many things and those business owners lack this simple framework: The Capacity Engine. On this page I share some key videos and article links to help explain the Capacity Concept so you can use it to be better and be bigger in your business over time.
If you like what you see, it’s a taste of what I share in my weekly newsletter. You can subscribe here.
The analogy that I’m making in the Capacity Engine framework is that your business is like an engine. It has a certain amount of output which can be created, usually measured in terms of dollars.
In our Capacity Engine Framework, we want to calculate several numbers:
Watch the Introduction video below, or read the article here.
Here’s the simple answer:
A business strategy is a road map of ordered priorities
that will take you from where you are now,
to where you want to be in the future,
with a full understanding of why you are in business
and an underpinning of commercial reality.
If you’re just looking for the one-sentence answer to your question, I hope that has satisfied your request.
If, however, you’re interested in understanding how to design and implement great strategy in your business, then it will probably help us to break down that definition. You can read the full ‘What is Business Strategy’ article here. with additional links based on your business size.
Or, if you’re already bored, why not just watch this Blackboard Fridays episode below.
Instead of more Engine talk, I’m going to focus on money because money is exciting and energizing. Doing math tends to be a little bit boring for most business owners; however, there’s some simple math that we may be able to do to help you make more money.
(That ought to keep you engage for the next four to five minutes.)
Your Capacity Calculations are a key tool that you can use to help them identify whether there is hidden profit sitting in your business, and set some trigger milestones for when they need to grow.
Read the article here, or watch the Calculating Capacity video below.
For one of my portfolio companies, Como Legal Coaching, I was asked to “use some props” to make the Capacity concept more exciting.
So I filled up my water jug, grabbed an empty glass, and filmed this 5 minute overview of this priceless business framework.
If you still want to learn more, read or watch my piece on “The 6 Ways to Be Better in Business” and/or its companion “The 6 Ways to Be Bigger in Business“.
From November 2017 until June 2019 (when I set off to travel the world with my newborn daughter) I produced and recorded 134 episodes of the business leadership video series Blackboard Fridays.
Every short episode was designed as a 5 minute burst of insight into a specific topic relevant to succeeding on your business journey. We revisited some important topics, and ultimately explored every topic of my business advisory methodology across 16 categories.
You can view the whole catalogue here, or enjoy the two relevant topic videos below before scrolling further to learn more about Jacob Aldridge the work I do.
Most business owners will never achieve their financial ambitions because they fail to grow beyond being small business owners. They live in an anxious and hopeful world with just one business, one primary income stream, unaware of how to change their mindset and their business practices.
They feel lonely or alone, believing they’re on the right track but feeling they have to do it all themselves. I bring the strategy and foresight so you can once again feel you are being fully authentic, fully you. If it’s what you desire, I can help you become secure, relaxed, and able to enjoy the money, time, and lifestyle that business ownership can deliver.
I wholeheartedly recommend Jacob to any business. His passionate, realistic and forward-thinking style was invaluable.
Working with Jacob, I have clarity on each of the steps I need to take, and an action plan I am now implementing.
I would recommend Jacob to anyone who wants to have absolute confidence that the right things will get done and, have a good time doing it.
When seeking the best mix of capability and personality to work with your business, geography is a limiting belief not a limiting factor.
I call myself an international business coach, but as you’ll see in that link pure business coaching is a waste of money. Your team already demand you have all the answers – only a muppet would pay someone to bring them just more questions. That’s why I adopt a hybrid approach, to provide personalised consulting or training solutions as well as the coaching approach to help rapidly transfer business skills.
I have worked face-to-face with clients throughout Australia, as well as across the UK, North America, Dubai, Hong Kong and Fiji. And since my first remote coaching engagement in 2010, I have increasingly worked with business owners and leadership teams around the world where none of us need to commute – in 2022 I was even nominated for the Virtual Speakers Hall of Fame.
As of 2025, alongside my young family I am a full-time traveller. This doesn’t impact the remote coaching I deliver … instead, it enhances the message because I have practiced what I preached and created freedom through business.