Turn products into businesses

“You’ve made the product — let me help you make a business.”

Next generation Growth Management Consulting: Turning Great Products Into Great Businesses

Creating something innovative is hard. Turning it into a successful, scalable business is harder.

There’s no doubt the current economic climate is tough — from shifting tariffs to rising costs and a new wave of AI-powered competition. For product-based companies, especially those building from New Zealand, the pressure is on. But the path forward is clear if you know where to focus.

As we enter the 2026 Financial Year, its a great time to invest in some business improvement and stress relief.

Business improvement check list for Product Companies:

1. Break the Growth Deadlocks. A clear, actionable growth strategy that aligns your team and drives progress.
2. Mature Product Governance established process to make  better informed decisions about where to invest, where to pivot, and what to drop.
3. Customer-Centric Messaging If your website makes people guess what you do, you’re already losing. Clear, market-facing communication is essential.
4. Sales Team Discipline Sales processes that drive results without bureaucratic drag. Yes, even without clunky CRMs.
5. Aggressive Cost-Down Thinking Margin matters. Smart cost engineering unlocks sustainable pricing and profitability.
6.  Performance Culture With Heart Keep the founding passion alive — but combine it with commercial focus and accountability.
7.  Creative Marketing That Cuts Through Impactful storytelling that opens markets, builds brand, and creates pull.
8.  Staying Ahead of the AI Curve Ensure your team and your tech aren’t overtaken by AI-native competitors. Adapt fast, upskill, and embed AI where it delivers real edge.
9. Refresh leadership teams - not all of your leaders can grow as fast as you business, is it time for some HR changes.
10. Founder Support & Delegation Managing the stress, sharing the load, and building a resilient leadership bench.

None of this has to break the bank. But targeted investment in SME-compatible support, delivered at pace with clear outcomes, is where the real leverage is.

A New Chapter: Growth Management Consulting (GMC)

After an exciting five years in the trenches leading two high-growth product ventures — Manta5 hydrofoil bikes and ZeroJet electric jet propulsion — I’m back, offering hands-on support to other product businesses aiming to scale globally.

Whether you’re building hardware or software, early stage or scaling, I’d love to help you hit breakthrough moments in 2025.

I’m now available for consulting engagements — alongside trusted collaborators like Louis Wilks from Kingtide, bringing deep experience in growth marketing.

Let’s make 2025 the year you turn innovation into impact.

Cheers Mark Robotham