ongrowth

Ongrowth is a term used in strategic planning and economics to describe growth that is ongoing, self-reinforcing, and sustainable over the long term. It emphasizes capabilities and processes that accumulate value over time—such as customer retention, product development, and network effects—rather than relying on a single, temporary surge in scale.

The term is a neologism that appears in management writings and startup discourse, with varying definitions. In many usages it is contrasted with short-term or explosive growth, and is tied to the idea that durable expansion arises from recurring value creation rather than external stimuli. Some authors treat ongrowth as a philosophy of building resilient systems whose growth rate can be maintained without intensifying risk.

Practically, ongrowth is often discussed in the context of platform businesses, subscriptions, and other models with strong lifetime value. Metrics commonly associated with ongrowth include retention rates, customer lifetime value, engagement, churn, and the compound annual growth rate of key metrics. Strategies associated with ongrowth include prioritizing product-market fit, investing in ecosystems and communities, improving onboarding, and leveraging data-driven experimentation to strengthen compounding effects.

Critics note that ongrowth can be vague and overused as a buzzword. They caution that, without clear definitions and measurable targets, it may obscure short-term profitability, risk management, or capital discipline. Some observers argue that ongrowth overlaps with established concepts such as organic growth and sustainable growth, and should be used with precision to avoid ambiguity.

The term ongrowth remains relatively uncommon and context-dependent, but it is used to signal a strategic emphasis on enduring, cumulative expansion rather than episodic expansion.