Drive Research shifted from chasing every deal to focusing only on clients that were the right fit. By saying “no” with confidence, their team unlocked stronger partnerships, better delivery, and a record-setting growth trajectory.
By Mike Belin | Nacre Consulting
Growth can be exhilarating, but it can also be distracting. Many companies chase every deal, say “yes” too quickly, and end up with a pipeline full of noise. The result is a team stretched thin and clients who aren’t a true fit.
That was the challenge for Drive Research.
Drive Research had been on a path of rapid expansion. Deals were coming in, but not all were aligned with their strengths or their Ideal Client Profile (ICP). The pressure to grow created a cycle of chasing opportunities that didn’t always lead to mutual value.
The leadership team realized that their growth was unfocused and unsustainable. They needed a shift, from chasing volume to building deliberate, mutually beneficial partnerships.
Drive Research is a full‑service market research firm delivering both qualitative and quantitative insights across B2B and B2C sectors. They design and execute custom surveys, focus groups, in‑depth interviews, advanced analytics, and more to help organizations make data‑driven decisions in marketing, operations, and strategy. From initial planning through execution and final analysis, they provide end‑to‑end service to ensure clients get actionable intelligence tailored to their unique goals.
Through strategic work with Nacre Consulting, Drive Research gained the tools and clarity to reframe growth.
Instead of measuring success only by top-line revenue, they built a framework to identify and pursue their best-fit clients. With a clear ICP, they could now:
Say “no” with confidence to opportunities that weren’t aligned.
Protect team bandwidth for the clients that mattered most.
Deliver greater value by working with partners who were a strong mutual fit.
This was more than a sales adjustment; it was a cultural shift.
Refining an Ideal Client Profile isn’t just a marketing exercise. It’s the process of getting crystal clear on who you serve best and why. It forces leadership teams to ask tough questions:
Which clients truly see the most value from our work?
Which projects can our team deliver most effectively and efficiently?
Which partnerships are both profitable and aligned with our long-term goals?
Without that clarity, more deals don’t equal more success. In fact, they muddy the waters. A pipeline filled with misaligned prospects looks impressive on paper but creates confusion, slows decision-making, and distracts your team from the opportunities that actually move the needle. By contrast, a clean, focused pipeline creates momentum because every deal has a clear purpose and a higher likelihood of success.
The impact was immediate. Drive Research’s core team stepped into a new level of accountability and ownership. Their focus sharpened, and so did their results.
They gained confidence to decline misaligned deals, freeing up resources for the right ones.
They improved client delivery by building stronger relationships and higher satisfaction.
A record-setting trajectory emerged as the team concentrated on the work they were best positioned to deliver.
As one leader put it: “We now have the confidence to say no to opportunities that aren’t a true fit. This allows us to deliver better value and gives us incredible confidence in the path we’re on.”
Drive Research’s story proves that real growth isn’t about how many deals sit in your pipeline, it’s about securing the right ones. We’ve seen time and again that when leaders focus on the right partnerships instead of chasing every opportunity, they unlock growth that is profitable, sustainable, and energizing for their teams.
That’s exactly how we work at Nacre. We don’t hand you a template, we partner with you. Together, we build a Custom Sales Growth Playbook that clarifies your Ideal Client Profile, sharpens your messaging, and creates a sales system you can trust. It’s not theory, it’s a framework built with your business, your people, and your growth in mind.