Why Scale-up Shape-up? Because there are so many companies that could become global players if they could just grow beyond the 50-employee mark. Sadly, so few can achieve this, despite a booming market and unique products. It requires a way of thinking that I want more people to learn. It’s not rocket science, but it requires courage and the ability to grow. Scale-up, wanting to grow out of the start-up phase: hiring, building a sales machine, being able to deliver times 10 the amount you are delivering today. Shape-up involves having discipline, structure and energy to build something that lasts for a long time. This is a practical handbook, written in English, to be used by all employees, international partners, investors, subsidiaries and as a guide for the management team.

As Sweden’s rapid growth expert for years with ten books, seminars, networks and consultancy for over 100 fast growers, Thomas Ahrens now focuses on the scale-up phase: How to build a company after the start-up years to reach 50 employees and beyond. Thomas constantly searches for the down-to-earth solutions in an easy-to-grasp language. This eleventh book comprises all his other books in what to use to grow through the scale-up phase.