Growing a company in the $1M - $5M revenue range is a stressful place to be. Teams are stretched, hiring feels high-stakes, and one wrong people decision slows everything down. Having helped 40+ CEOs drive $40M+ in revenue growth, in the next 60 seconds I’ll help you think clearly about whether to scale with generalists or bring in specialists early.
On a recent episode of Wisdom From Wizards, I discussed this topic with Emre Varol, CEO at A2SV. Emre didn’t hesitate. He leaned strongly toward generalists, and his reasoning speaks directly to what CEOs in the $1M–$5M range struggle with most: volatility.
For a growing company, that flexibility matters. Generalists give you coverage when your org chart changes weekly. They absorb shifting responsibilities without complaint. And they grow with the business, often becoming the leaders you rely on later.
If your company is still finding its rhythm, specialists can actually slow momentum. They expect stable processes, defined lanes, and predictable workloads. Generalists help you adjust in real time.
Once your model is predictable - and only then - specialists become your accelerators.
Wisdom From Wizards is brought to you by Caribou Strategic, helping CEOs grow revenue $1M+ in 12 months with our money back guarantee.