La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora | Costa Rica

Tucked away in San José’s Central Market is La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora, a cherished sorbet shop that has been serving the same signature flavor since 1901. Just one recipe, unchanged for over 120 years. Infused with vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, this simple yet timeless offering is a testament to the power of consistency.

Reflecting on the journey of the owners, I can’t help but imagine the temptations they must have faced over the years. With customer requests to try new flavors and the inevitable urge to diversify, the pressure to expand must have been strong. Yet, despite these challenges, they resisted. They stayed true to their one signature sorbet, building a lasting legacy. Confident companies do less.

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However, we more frequently observe the opposite. What begins as a focused vision can slip into “strategic entropy”—a gradual loss of clarity and direction that saps energy and weakens impact. Success can breed expansion, and expansion can breed complexity. It starts innocently enough, with the excitement of new opportunities. But without clear alignment to the company’s core strategy, this growth often results in fragmented messaging, diluted identity, and ultimately, a loss of the very essence that made the brand successful in the first place. We’ve seen this pattern with iconic brands like Starbucks, Apple, and Nike:

Take Starbucks, for example. In its drive to become a global lifestyle brand, the company expanded beyond coffee into sandwiches, pastries, and even merchandise. What once was a focused coffee experience became cluttered with additional offerings that slowed service and clouded the brand’s identity. When Howard Schultz returned as CEO, he made a bold move by slashing excess offerings, refocusing on the coffee experience, and ultimately reinvigorating the brand.

Apple faced a similar fate in the 1990s. In an attempt to diversify its product lineup, the company launched too many variations, creating confusion in the market. When Steve Jobs returned in 1997, he radically simplified the product line by cutting 70% of offerings and focusing on a few key products—namely the iMac, iPod, and iPhone. This clarity and focus restored Apple’s momentum, setting the stage for its iconic growth in the 21st century.

Nike, too, struggled with strategic entropy when it ventured into golf, fashion, and watches, moving away from its core focus on performance footwear. Under CEO Mark Parker, Nike re-centered its strategy around footwear, Nike+ and brand storytelling, reviving its focus and reigniting the brand’s energy.

We’ve been there, too. Bloated product lines across scattered benefit spaces. Stretching across all price tiers. Expanding the brand until it lost shape.

These examples illustrate a common pitfall that businesses often encounter—expanding too broadly and losing sight of what made them strong in the first place. Strategic entropy doesn’t just drain resources; it confuses customers and stunts growth. At its core, it’s a failure to maintain clarity and purpose as a brand evolves.

It’s easy to understand why companies expand. They are responding to new opportunities, customer demands, and the inevitable desire for growth. But, as experience shows, growth without focus often leads to fragmentation, not progress.

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So, as we navigate our own growth and expansion opportunities, it’s essential to ask a few critical questions:

• Does this new opportunity strengthen our core portfolio, or will it dilute the essence that makes us unique?
• Does this “where-to-play” strengthen our “how-to-win”? Will this move scale our execution, or will it create an additional distraction?
• Does this decision reinforce our brand’s positioning and equity?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, it’s worth reconsidering. A clear and focused strategy allows for sustainable growth. When we hone in on what truly matters, we unlock the potential to ignite growth and clarity—just like La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora’s enduring sorbet.