Getting to Scale

CHAPTER ONEMission Comes First

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WORKING ASSETS, best known as a telecommunications company supporting progressive nonprofits, was 20 years old and generating $100 million in annual revenues when I popped the killer question to CEO and cofounder Laura Scher.

“So what about values conflicts?” I wanted to know. Were there times when she wanted to do business with people who shared her values but found that she couldn’t because another company was a better fit from a business perspective? Were there conflicts between the need to grow and the desire ...