Short on time? Listen to this article.

Whether at launch, growth, or transition stages, companies who want to make meaningful change face complex challenges. This is why entrepreneurs need a sidekick (or a team of sidekicks) to execute their vision in a way that promotes growth. Here’s how Howbridge can help.

At the center of most great success stories, you’ll find two main characters: the mastermind and the trusted sidekick. Sure, there are obvious examples like Batman and Robin or the never-ending overlap of superhuman dynamics in the Marvel Universe. But you don’t need to rely on comic book legends to find these examples – they exist everywhere in the business world.

Bill Gates scaled Microsoft into a billion-dollar company with long-time friend Paul Allen.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield built a frozen dessert empire together after investing in a $5 ice cream-making course from the Penn State University Creamery.

And Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak famously created Apple Inc. together.

Who played the role of the mastermind vs. sidekick is up for debate in each of these examples. None of these billion-dollar businesses would exist without the genius of either party. But at the core of these stories is an important dynamic that allowed these one-time entrepreneurs to bridge the gap between idea and execution.

Take Apple Inc. for example…

Steve Jobs was the first to understand that personal computing would only take off if the machines themselves were user-friendly and visually appealing (less like the science fair experiments they resembled in the late 70s when Apple was founded). It was his vision to turn powerful technology into accessible tools that were easy to use and would help people realize their dreams and change the world for the better.

Jobs was the mastermind. The change-maker behind the brand.

Wozniak, on the other hand, had the engineering prowess to bring that vision to life and execute Job’s idea.

With Wozniak’s technical talent and Jobs’ marketing skills, Apple became synonymous with the boom in personal computing. By 1981, just four years after its incorporation, the company had a record-setting public stock offering and made one of the quickest entrances into the Fortune 500 list of America’s top companies.

Apple Inc. is one of the best examples of the “Marvel effect” to date – where the mastermind and his trusted sidekick are perfectly paired to save the world (or create one of the most valuable companies of all time, in this case).

But not all change-makers have met their sidekicks.

You may be sitting on an idea or innovation that could have a profound impact on the world, but lack the skills to bring that idea to market.

Or perhaps you’ve launched that change-making product, but you’re not sure how to increase production, price competitively, or build a brand.

Or maybe you’ve already started an enterprise that has the promise of becoming the next Apple Inc., but you don’t know how to scale your leadership to promote growth.

That’s where we come in.

Think of us as your Steve Wozniak.

Your trusted sidekick.

Howbridge brings the business development services that emerging companies need to bridge the gap between idea and execution (it’s right there in our name).

While you solve the world’s most pressing issues, we’ll solve the problems preventing you from turning your big ideas into a successful, scalable business by designing a vision, strategy, and execution plan to help you grow.

Like every good sidekick, we share a kinship. We’ve been in your shoes: our integrated team of entrepreneurs, founders, and builders have launched ventures, grown companies, and held executive roles that generate results. We know how to increase sales, bring a product to market and price it for success. We understand the importance of balancing the need for quick wins with long-term planning.

And although don’t have superpowers, we’re pretty good at what we do.

We’ve helped launch over 50 ventures and our clients regularly experience double-digit growth in their top and bottom lines.

But the partnership we’ll build with you and your team is far more valuable.

With us, you’ll have an interdisciplinary team of experts in your back pocket. We’re game to wear whatever hat you want us to, from Chief Growth or Strategy Officer to Chief Marketing Officer and Creative Department.

We’ll work with you to get at the root cause of your biggest pain points, then collaborate with your team to prioritize solutions that will get you closer to your goals. The best part? It’s all integrated. We’ll help you create solutions that build on each other—not compete for your attention and resources.

Whether launching a new venture or growing a legacy, whether it’s your first launch or the fiftieth, we’ll help you realize your true potential.

Are you ready to meet your A-Team? Get in touch to learn how we can help you deliver measurable value at every stage of your business.

Howbridge is a growth advisory firm that helps companies take the next step to market leadership.