Running the Gauntlet is an Essential Guide for CEOs, Founders, and Leadership Teams Navigating the Challenges of Scaling a High-Growth Company.

Authors Meg Thomas Crosby and Howard Cleveland present the Growth Gauntlet Framework, a proven roadmap that aligns six critical imperatives—Focus, Culture, Leadership, Talent, Structure, and Communication—across four distinct growth stages.

Drawing on decades of experience advising private equity-backed companies and high-growth organizations, the authors provide actionable strategies to sharpen focus, build resilient teams, and drive sustainable success. This book arms leaders with practical tools, real-world case studies, and strategic questions to anticipate obstacles, improve decision-making, and foster long-term organizational health and reveals how to:

Predict and prepare for the challenges you’ll encounter as your company moves through the four stages of growth.

  • Use key levers to proactively drive organizational growth including sharpening focus, calibrating culture, strengthening leadership, and elevating talent.
  • Evolve your role as CEO as the organization becomes larger and more complex.
  • Avoid the pitfalls that derail growth.

Whether you’re a first-time CEO or a seasoned executive, Running the Gauntlet offers a structured and practical approach to scaling with intention, ensuring that both leaders and their teams thrive in the face of rapid growth and evolving business demands.

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About the Authors

Howard Cleveland

Principal & Co-Founder

Cleveland is a strategist who serves as a trusted advisor and professional coach for founders, executives, and leadership teams of purpose-driven businesses, including those that are PE-backed, family-owned, and publicly traded. Drawing on over 25 years of experience in roles as labor and employment attorney, growth advisor, and coach, Howard helps leaders and teams get unstuck and unlock their full growth potential.

Meg Thomas Crosby

Principal & Co-Founder

Crosby is a strategic advisor to CEOs, boards, and investors. She sits on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards and serves as an Operating Partner with SSM Partners, a growth equity firm focused on investing in software, services, and healthcare companies. During her 20-year career in human resources, she has worked for companies of all shapes and sizes, including a global Wall Street investment bank, a small tech start-up in Los Angeles, and Google.
Meg Howard Headshot Square Min 1 Min
“Often in reading books by management gurus, I am left pondering whether the author "ever had to make a payroll". No so with Meg and Howard who have sat side by side with me as we worked through the inevitable speed bumps that every company encounters in growing from startup through the growth phase, hopefully to a successful outcome for all stakeholders. Their Running the Gauntlet framework places structure around the problems that so many companies and their Boards and Management teams face. I highly recommend it.”
James P. (Jim) Bradley, Board Chairman, C-Level Executive, and Entrepreneur in Health Care
“Demystifying the many challenges and opportunities of growth distinguishes Running the Gauntlet as an essential resource for growth-focused leadership. I’ve recommended this book to colleagues, peers, and clients, and I keep a copy of the framework taped to my desk.”
Matthew R. Crow, CEO, Mercer Capital
"I had the great pleasure of having Meg as a board member at Compass Datacenters for several years. In 2022, during a period of significant growth, we had Meg lead our team through the Growth Gauntlet framework. The process was invaluable in creating alignment around the key focus areas for our executive leadership team. The actionable intelligence we gained from this work has been instrumental in establishing a strong foundation for our long-term growth as an organization."
Chris Crosby, Founder and CEO, Compass Datacenters
“Crosby and Cleveland have cracked the code on organizational health and growth-preparedness. The Gauntlet enables stakeholders to diagnose small problems before they become big problems.”
Casey West, Managing Partner, SSM Partners
“The Growth Gauntlet is an actionable framework for both investors and the CEO to utilize as they traverse the 4 stages of growth from a startup to an Enterprise Class company. Crosby and Cleveland provide both the roadmap and the thought-provoking questions that should become the CEO survival handbook.”
Jim Tallman, Investor, Executive Chairman & Board Advisor, Investor, Former CEO
“Every successful business hits a wall at some point. This book’s candid insights and real-world examples are a masterclass in navigating the inevitable complexities of facing bottlenecks, cultural challenges, or leadership team obstacles. Meg and Howard provide the tools and inspiration not only to survive, but thrive in a high-growth environment. This book is essential reading for any leader striving to break through to the next level.”
Sam Graham, CEO, Diversified Trust Company

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