---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can invest to create the new growth…"
description: "\"You can invest to create the new growth business while the core business is still growing, because new business units don't need to get big fast. But w..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/clayton-christensen-2433_bigs_you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth_3230174.png"
---

#  You can invest to create the new growth business while the…

![“You can invest to create the new growth business while the core business is still growing, because new business units don't need to get big fast. But when the core business stops growing, investing to create new growth businesses becomes impossible.” quote by Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/clayton-christensen-2433_bigs_you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth_3230174.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/clayton-christensen-2433_bigs_you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth_3230174.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/clayton-christensen-2433_bigs_you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth_3230174.png)

> “You can invest to create the new growth business while the core business is still growing, because new business units don't need to get big fast. But when the core business stops growing, investing to create new growth businesses becomes impossible.”

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Growth requires investing in new ventures while the existing business still expands; once the core stalls, new growth becomes impossible.

**In simple terms:** Invest early in new ideas while core thrives.

Key Takeaway

Invest early for future growth.

Themes

innovation growth investment business strategy risk management

Mood

analytical cautious

Type

business strategic

When to use this quote

- startup funding
- corporate R&D
- market expansion
- product diversification

Key Concepts

disruptive innovation resource allocation strategic planning

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you detect early signs of core slowdown?
- What safeguards can protect new venture funding?

A Different Perspective

If the core business declines unexpectedly, timing may be missed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [New business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-business/) [New growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-growth/)

## Related quotes

> [No idea for a new growth business ever comes fully shaped. When it emerges, it's half-baked, and it then goes through a process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/no-idea-for-a-new-growth-business-ever-comes-fully-shaped-when-it/)

[Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/)

> [No idea for a new growth business ever comes fully shaped. When it emerges, it's half-baked, and it then goes through a process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/no-idea-for-a-new-growth-business-ever-comes-fully-shaped-when-it-2/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [With more money to spend, workers can take their families to local restaurants, buy cars at local auto dealers and shop at local stores.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-parson/with-more-money-to-spend-workers-can-take-their-families-to-local/)

[Mike Parson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-parson/)

> [Only two things grow for the sake of growth: businesses and tumors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/only-two-things-grow-for-the-sake-of-growth-businesses-and-tumors/)

[Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/)

> [Obvious prospects for physical growth in a business do not translate into obvious profits for investors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/obvious-prospects-for-physical-growth-in-a-business-do-not-translate/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [In the private sector, as the president of a small business, my focus has been on driving the growth of our business, not driving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/in-the-private-sector-as-the-president-of-a-small-business-my-focus/)

[Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/)

> [The commercial airplane business is an incredible growth business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-muilenburg/the-commercial-airplane-business-is-an-incredible-growth-business/)

[Dennis Muilenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-muilenburg/)

> [“The growth of my business was amazing. Unfortunately, it grew like a tumor and not like a tree. I really needed to branch out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-growth-of-my-business-was-amazing-unfortunately-it-grew-like-a/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [As I spent tons of time with customers, not just in the United States, but in emerging markets, in Europe, in Latin America, top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/as-i-spent-tons-of-time-with-customers-not-just-in-the-united-states/)

[Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/)

> [“From these two broad examples we draw two morals for our readers: Obvious prospects for physical growth in a business do not translate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/from-these-two-broad-examples-we-draw-two-morals-for-our-readers/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [“The employer is ultimately interested in the growth of the business, not that of the employee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-employer-is-ultimately-interested-in-the-growth-of-the-business/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [“One of the most vexing dilemmas that stable corporations face when they seek to rekindle growth by launching new businesses is that their internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/one-of-the-most-vexing-dilemmas-that-stable-corporations-face-when/)

[Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/)

> [With every obstacle that has happened to me in my life, my brain immediately says, ‘Where is the hidden blessing?’ In starting a business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/with-every-obstacle-that-has-happened-to-me-in-my-life-my-brain/)

[Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/)

> [When most people ask about a business growing, what they really mean is growing revenue, not just growing the number of people using a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/when-most-people-ask-about-a-business-growing-what-they-really-mean/)

[Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/)

> [Movies are not a growth business,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-katzenberg/movies-are-not-a-growth-business/)

[Jeffrey Katzenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-katzenberg/)

## More by Clayton Christensen

> [But actually theory is very practical. Gravity is a theory, for example. It allows you to predict that if you step off a cliff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/but-actually-theory-is-very-practical-gravity-is-a-theory-for-example/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [In our lives and in our careers, whether we are aware of it or not, we are constantly navigating a path by deciding between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/in-our-lives-and-in-our-careers-whether-we-are-aware-of-it-or-not-we/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [Many of the factors that we think will cause motivation, such as fair pay and a good manager, won't make you love your job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/many-of-the-factors-that-we-think-will-cause-motivation-such-as-fair/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [People in private equity complain that they have so much capital and so few places to invest. But you have lots of entrepreneurs trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/people-in-private-equity-complain-that-they-have-so-much-capital-and/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [If you're successful and growing, you can manage any way you want to. Growth makes so many dimensions of management easier. It's when growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/if-you-re-successful-and-growing-you-can-manage-any-way-you-want-to/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [A sustaining innovation makes better products that you can sell for better profits to your best customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/a-sustaining-innovation-makes-better-products-that-you-can-sell-for/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [Purpose must be deliberately conceived and chosen, and then pursued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/purpose-must-be-deliberately-conceived-and-chosen-and-then-pursued/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [The mistake that makes launching a venture expensive is when you try to make a disruptive technology so good that it can compete on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/the-mistake-that-makes-launching-a-venture-expensive-is-when-you-try/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [What you need is a fundamental humility - the belief that you can learn from anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/what-you-need-is-a-fundamental-humility-the-belief-that-you-can-learn/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [This is why I belong, and why I believe. I commend to all this same search for happiness and for the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/this-is-why-i-belong-and-why-i-believe-i-commend-to-all-this-same/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [I think this is one reason why the Lord invented the Internet - so members can teach one another how to succeed in assignments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/i-think-this-is-one-reason-why-the-lord-invented-the-internet-so/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [Because these firms listened to their customers, invested aggressively in new technologies that would provide their customers more and better products of the sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/because-these-firms-listened-to-their-customers-invested-aggressively/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [At the beginning of almost every industry, the available products and services are so expensive to own and complicated to use that only people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/at-the-beginning-of-almost-every-industry-the-available-products-and/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [Management has to provide the coordinating mechanism between what the supplier provides and what the user needs in not-good-enough situations where product architecture is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/management-has-to-provide-the-coordinating-mechanism-between-what-the/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [When you're thinking about your next product or current product and wondering how to make it different so you don't have competition, understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/when-you-re-thinking-about-your-next-product-or-current-product-and/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

[Explore all 166 Clayton Christensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

## More Bigs quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/)

[Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

[Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/)

> [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/)

[Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/)

[Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/)

> [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/)

[Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/)

Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You can invest to create the new growth business while the core business is still growing, because new business units don't need to get big fast. But when the core business stops growing, investing to create new growth businesses becomes impossible.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Clayton Christensen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth-business-while-the-core/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bigs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth-business-while-the-core/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/clayton-christensen-2433_bigs_you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth_3230174.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/clayton-christensen-2433_bigs_you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth_3230174.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/clayton-christensen-2433_bigs_you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth_3230174.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can invest to create the new growth business while the core business is still growing, because new…” — Clayton Christensen",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Clayton Christensen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You can invest to create the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth-business-while-the-core/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/you-can-invest-to-create-the-new-growth-business-while-the-core/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```