Our client wants to double its revenue in five years: how?
A growth case is an exercise in generating options, followed by sorting. You first need to understand where current revenue comes from and why it has plateaued, then arrange the possible levers in a structure with no gaps or overlaps, and finally say which ones can really close the gap to the target.
What the interviewer is assessing
- That you understand the business before proposing. A candidate who suggests going international without knowing how the client makes its money today sounds like they are reciting.
- That your levers are organised. A loose list of eight ideas is worth less than four ideas arranged in a clear logic, for example existing customers on one side and new ones on the other.
- That you relate each lever to the target. Doubling revenue needs levers of the right size, and a good candidate sets aside on their own whatever will only add a few percent.
- That you look at feasibility: what the client knows how to do, what it costs, how long it takes.
How to build your answer
- 1
Pin down the target and the starting point
Current revenue, target, horizon, and constraints: must growth stay profitable, is the client open to acquisitions? - 2
Understand recent growth
How does revenue split across products, customers and regions? Is the market growing, and is the client gaining or losing share? - 3
Organise the levers
A structure that often works: sell more to existing customers (frequency, basket, price), win new customers in the current market, then go elsewhere with new products, new regions or acquisitions. Adapt the labels to the business in the case. - 4
Size and prioritise
Estimate the order of magnitude of each lever, compare the total with the target, then rank by impact, cost and risk.
How a good answer starts
"Our client is a chain of fifty opticians that wants to double its revenue in five years. To frame it: are we talking about growth at equal or better profitability, and is buying other stores among the options?
I would first like to understand the starting point, meaning what a typical store sells and how its sales are moving, because a network where every store is growing does not call for the same answer as one that is flat. Then I would sort the levers into three families. The first is selling more in existing stores: bringing customers back more often, raising spend per visit with better priced lenses or services, widening the offer into hearing care for example. The second is drawing more customers to those same stores, including through online sales. The third is adding stores, by opening or by buying. Given the size of the target, my intuition is that the first two families will not be enough..."
This example is made up: it shows the tone and the construction, not a script to memorise. Your answer has to come from your own experience or from the data the interviewer gives you.
Common mistakes
- Throwing out ideas before understanding the business and the reason growth has stalled.
- Reciting the products and markets matrix without translating it into the client's business.
- Never comparing the levers with the target. If the goal is to double, you have to show that your ideas can add up to it.
- Forgetting profitability. Growth bought with discounts or loss-making openings is not what the client is asking for.
Follow-ups to expect
"Which of these levers would you put first?"
Pick one and justify it by expected impact, timing and risk. A clear answer beats a ranking with ties.
"How many stores would need to open to hit the target?"
Start from the gap to close, subtract what existing stores can contribute, then divide by the revenue of a typical store.
Frequently asked questions
Should I mention acquisitions?
Yes, as one option among others, after checking the client is open to it. For a very ambitious target it is often the only lever at the right scale, but it comes with a cost and integration risks you should flag.
How does this differ from a profitability case?
A profitability case is a diagnosis: you are looking for a cause. A growth case is an exploration: you are looking for options and sorting them. The structure is therefore wider and the final prioritisation matters more.