The Power of Reverse Engineering Your Business Goals

Most business goals sound great on paper—“Grow revenue by 20%” or “Improve customer retention.” But they often fall flat because there’s no clear path to get there. That’s where reverse engineering comes in.

Instead of setting a goal and hoping it happens, start at the end and work backwards. Ask:

✔ What needs to happen for this goal to be achieved?
✔ What has to be true at the department level?
✔ What weekly or daily actions would drive those results?

Let’s say your goal is to grow revenue by 20%. Don’t stop there—reverse engineer it into the steps that will actually make it happen. For example:

– Increase average order value by 5% by introducing smart upsells at checkout
– List the products your customers currently buy from competitors so they can consolidate spend with you
– Offer bulk-buy incentives on strategic lines to secure more shelf space and increase your share of their revenue

Now ask:
– Who owns each of these actions?
– What data do you need to track progress?
– What does success look like weekly or monthly?

Reverse engineering gives you clear, trackable steps. It links the big-picture vision to the day-to-day work—and that’s how real progress happens.

📌 Don’t just set goals. Break them down, assign ownership, and build a clear path to success.