[DAY 3] Have you been building your business on the wrong operating system?
Post your challenge responses here.
Thanks for hanging out in the Frictionless Growth Challenge this week. Today is day 3. In this lesson, we’re going to layer your SCALE path and Evolution Track with your base Ecosystem.
SCALE paths have a lot of overlap with Ecosystems, and lots of people confuse the two. However, they actually serve two very different functions.
SCALE paths are how you grow.
Ecosystems are how you operate.
If you don’t already know about Ecosystems, you can learn more by clicking here.
Think of Ecosystems like the operating system of your computer. You might use Windows, Mac, Linux, Ubuntu, etc. Whichever you choose goes far to determine how you interface with your computer, including what programs you can run, and how they run.
It doesn’t really influence what you create, though, how you share it, or who you meet through it. That’s where SCALE paths come into the picture.
The main point I want to make is that Ecosystems have nothing to do with growth.
They are all about how you build your business on a deep, foundational, and structural level. Your Ecosystem isn’t how you want to be. It’s how you actually function.
They show you how to structure your work so it doesn’t drain you. Yes, each Ecosystem is echoed in a SCALE path.
Spotlighter = Grassland
Collaborator = Aquatic
Arbiter = Desert
Launcher = Tundra
Evangelist = Forest
And yes, most entrepreneurs will align both tightly together, but that’s not necessarily the case. Each base Ecosystem could work equally effectively with multiple SCALE paths.
Grasslands are steady, strategic and methodical. They grow slow, deep, and sustainably, which aligns well with the Spotlighter path. However, they could also build a legion of ambassadors, like Evangelists, that spread their message all over the internet, or partner with brands on new products like Collaborators.
Aquatic are expansive, layered worldbuilders who create systems that span universes, which pairs well with the Collaborator, as they both rely on outside validation from partners to normalize their work, but an Aquatic could also choose to get out front and center of their brand like a Spotlighter, or build ambassadors like an Evangelist, depending on their path of least friction.
Deserts are fast, tactical, and opportunistic. They move quickly and build lean, which matches well with the Arbiter who is always looking for the next trend to hop on. However, it’s equally possible for them to take advantage of a Launcher path since they can both spin up new projects quickly and almost at will.
Tundras are cyclical, burst-driven, and seasonal sprinters who sprint hard, then recover hard. This is a natural fit for the Launcher path, but since they work fast it’s possible for them to build quickly like an Arbiter, or rely on partnerships to help build during their recovery like a Collaborator.
Forests are relational, connective, and built for emotional resonance, which makes them ideal for the Evangelist SCALE path. However, it’s just as possible for them to broadcast their message like a Spotlighter, or launch their programs repeatedly like a Launcher.
As you can see, there’s a natural fit for most brands to align their SCALE path and Ecosystem together, but it’s possible to have success many different ways. However, we must know both your SCALE path and base Ecosystem if we want you to find success.
If you are having trouble figuring out your Ecosystem, you can take our quiz here.
So, did you find a perfect fit above? If you don’t, that’s okay. Many people see themselves in multiple ecosystems, and we have a modality for blended ecosystems.
Today’s task: Read those five descriptions again. Which one feels like home? Does it align with your SCALE path? Is it compatible with how you’ve been trying to grow?
Write: “I’m a _________ because __________. This [aligns/doesn’t align] with my SCALE path because _____________________________.”
Now be brave and share it in today’s challenge post.
Then post it on social media with #fgchallenge
I’m a forest because I try to put myself into every project and work to connect with my audience. This doesn't seem to align with my SCALE path because I think I'm a spotlighter rather than an evangelist.
This was very good for me. I think I am an evangelist, but I lean towards the tactics that seem to be for the spotlighter...but naming it as a forest...or possibly a grassland really gives me a visual that helps me focus and and understand my own choices and decisions. I'm committed to having a business that feels like home and this is really helping.