HBR On Leadership Scaling a Business Beyond the Family Playbook
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Apr 15, 2026 
Henry McGee, Harvard Business School senior lecturer who researches scaling minority businesses, and Jessica Johnson-Cope, CEO who transformed a multigenerational Black- and woman-owned security firm, discuss growth choices. They explore expanding services into cybersecurity, partnering across states, preserving founding values, succession planning, and barriers minority entrepreneurs face. Practical strategy and purpose drive their conversation.
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Three Clear Paths For Scaling The Firm
- Jessica faced three scaling choices: double down in New York, expand geographically, or enter cybersecurity.
- Henry frames the tradeoffs: low-margin physical security vs. higher-margin cybersecurity and varied partnership structures like joint ventures or joint bids.
Growing Up Inside A Family Security Business
- Jessica inherited Johnson Security Bureau after her father's death and treated leading it as carrying her grandparents' multigenerational legacy.
- She recounts growing up watching her grandmother and father run the business and using that upbringing to shape servant leadership and community focus.
Partner Only With Organizations That Share Your Values
- Choose partners whose core values align with your firm's values rather than taking handouts.
- Jessica looks for corporations that give 'a seat at the table' and share commitments to people and community, not just contracts.