Founder & Partner @ Kanvas | Foster Innovation, Develop Business Strategy, Drive Growth

Katie Nowak

It’s been 3 years without my dad.
Here’s what I'm reflecting on today -

My dad taught me to build a career that I loved.

He did that by taking me to his medical presentations and dinners around the world when I was young.

I remember I joined him at a private investigator meeting in Munich, Germany, and his colleagues were torn over whether or not Dr. Nowak’s 12-year-old daughter needed to sign an NDA to attend. 😂 

In that same meeting, he introduced himself as being from “Day-toi,” instead of Detroit, as everyone else was from various European cities. Lots of laughter ensued, and the whole room suddenly felt warmer, kinder. It was his magic.

Every time I travel internationally for work or step on stage (virtually or in-person), I think of my dad. 

Every time I make a pun or a joke in a meeting (approx 23408 times a day) and see my team light up, I think of my dad.

I wish I could share with him how watching his love of his work, and thus his love of people, all over the world fundamentally shaped who I am today….

…someone who loves what she does.

I often reflect on how I could someday pay this forward to my future family, someday.

How could I involve them in international travel? Have them attend my presentations or panels? Ask them to join me while I write invoices in my office? (That was hilarious - “what do you think, Kate, let’s add an hour, I read fast!!”) … and how might I make each shared moment more fun than the last?

Today, I’m reflecting that I hope to be even half of the role model that he was for me.

I hope this inspires a reflection for you, too - he would love that.

Miss you, dad.

—
I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Innovation Leader, New Venture Designer, Speaker @ Kanvas || Investor @ Altra Venture Partners

Organic growth got you here. Strategic growth gets you there. Most successful mid-market CEOs built their companies through organic growth: right opportunities, good instincts, hard work, and yes, some luck. Now they want exponential results, but they're still stuck yesterday's mindset - heads down tactics. The problem isn't your market. It's your methods. I help organically-grown companies make the shift to intentional, exponential growth. 

What I Do:
I work with CEOs of $15M-$50M companies who've outgrown their startup mindset but don't know what comes next. Together, we evolve the approach from opportunistic to strategic, from reactive to proactive, from hoping for growth to engineering it. 

The Shift I Help You Make:
-From instinct-driven to data-informed decisions-From chasing opportunities to creating them
-From founder dependency to scalable systems
-From heroic leadership to strategic leadership
-From organic growth to exponential growth Results.

My Clients See:
-Revenue acceleration from 15% to 40%+ annual growth
-Profit margin improvements of 5-8 percentage points
-Leadership team effectiveness increases by 50%+
-CEO time shifted from operations to strategy (60/40 → 20/80)
-Scalable systems that grow without breaking

My Background: 
25+ years helping organic growth companies evolve strategically Worked with Fortune 500 and companies in the $10M-$50M range.

I Work With: 
CEOs and founders of mid market companies who:
-Built their success through organic growth, but hit a plateau-Want exponential growth but feel stuck in tactical day-to-day operations
-Have talented leadership teams but lack strategic clarity and coordination

Not A Good Fit:
-Startups still finding product-market fit
-Large enterprises with dedicated strategy teams-CEOs who want to stay hands-on everywhere
-Companies looking for quick fixes rather than strategic evolution

My Philosophy:
There's nothing wrong with organic growth: it's how most great companies start. Every approach has an expiration date. The methods that got you here won't get you there. Strategic growth is about evolving how you think, plan, and execute.

Take my strategic growth evaluation assessment here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3kfy-O5NtbEIefRbZRmNLfXZJSDIINf3wc36xBuYpzyOJmw/viewform?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=101774684011461792751

Let's Connect If:
You know your current approach has hit its limits, and you're committed to learning what comes next. I'd love to support your evolution from organic to strategic growth.

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Ricki Pasinelli

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