You’ve probably heard it all before:» focus on your customers,« »have a business plan«, »your employees are your biggest asset« —blah, blah, blah.
While the advice isn’t wrong, it’s often so vague that it’s hard to act on, especially if you’re a first-time entrepreneur or lack experience in key areas. What you need are clear, actionable steps.
We’ve all heard the statistics: 80% of businesses fail within the first five years. That’s a reality check. Building a business isn’t about finding magic formulas or waiting for the stars to align. It’s about focusing on what actually moves the needle. Why do most companies tank? Is it a lack of money? Poor market fit? Sure, those play a role, but the biggest problem is often much more straightforward: they’re focused on the wrong things.
We see this daily working with companies like yours. We feel their struggles, fears, and loss of motivation. We help them find inefficiencies, optimize their operations, and put them on a growth track.
Most businesses, even the ones struggling, have the potential to grow, but only if they shift their focus. Today, we’re breaking down 10 essential moves that could make the difference between your business barely surviving or thriving in any market.
1. Know What You Really Want
Vision and clarity are everything. Without a defined goal, your business will drift aimlessly. Your vision is the North Star guiding every decision you make. It’s not just about setting revenue targets; it’s about knowing what kind of company you want to build, who you want to serve, and the impact you aim to make. A clear vision guides every decision and keeps your team aligned.
Clarity in your vision helps you create a culture that is aligned, motivated, and driven to grow your business in the right direction.
Example: We worked with a client who at one time got a lot of very different oportunities. They have taken some new projects onboard – steering away from their primary business and allocating resources away from it. Everything became very confusing: employees did not know who should do what, new projects did not align with their existing culture,… the new projects were not as successful as they had hoped, and their main business suffered as well. Once they refocused on their primary vision, everything clicked—revenues increased, and the team was more motivated.
Tip 1: Write down your vision—it isn’t real until it’s on paper. Revisit it often to stay on course and ensure that every decision you make pushes you closer to achieving it. Make sure it is well communicated amongst your team members.
Tip 2: Break your vision into actionable steps. Start with your 5-year vision, then work backwards to define yearly, quarterly, and monthly goals (daily goals are an additional bonus). This gives you an easy-to-follow roadmap.
When you know exactly what you want, you can build a culture, team, and strategy aligned with your goals. Without that clarity, growth will always feel like a struggle.
2. Set Expectations (That Feel Impossible)
You’ve heard it before: if your goals aren’t scaring you, you’re playing it too safe. It means you are not growing as fast as you could. Challenge the status quo and stretch your comfort zone. Be a dreamer, but don’t wander into fantasy land. The key to setting great expectations isn’t just about being ambitious; it’s about being “realistically unreasonable.”
Example: Tesla set what felt like an absurd goal to build 500,000 electric cars a year when it was barely making 50,000. Everyone thought Elon Musk was nuts. But guess what? They didn’t just hit that goal—they shattered it.
Set a goal that makes you a little nervous. Break that big goal into actionable steps. Unrealistic doesn’t mean unplanned.
3. Play To Your Strengths
Whether it’s sales, marketing, or product development, focus on what you do best and delegate the rest (outsource or hire people).
Most business owners try to do everything themselves. That’s a rookie mistake. You don’t need to be good at everything. The best entrepreneurs know their limits and lean into their strengths.
Example: We’ve all been to one of those restaurants with a 20-page menu that serves sushi, steaks, burgers, pizza, and more? The food is never great because they try to be everything to everyone. Businesses are the same—if you spread yourself too thin, you’ll lose focus and impact. When you try to be everything, you end up being nothing special.
Tip 1: Run a SWOT analysis. Identify your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Where can you add the most value? Use this to pinpoint where you should focus your energy.
Tip 2: Outsource or automate tasks you’re not good at. There’s no shame in hiring someone to handle your weaknesses. Freeing up your time means more focus on growing your business.
4. Fail Fast, Learn Faster
»Test, test, test and then test again« should be a mantra in every growing business. Not every idea is going to work, and that’s okay. Failure isn’t the problem—wasting time on bad ideas is. The faster you fail, the faster you learn what does work. Constantly test, analyze, and adjust. When something doesn’t work, cut it loose, learn from it, and move on.
You can often learn more from failures than from wins.
Example: Slack, the go-to communication tool for teams worldwide, started as a failed video game called “Glitch.” The game never took off, but the team built an internal messaging tool during development. That tool eventually became Slack—one of the most successful communication platforms in the world.
Tip 1: Start small. Test new ideas on a small scale before investing heavily. This keeps the risk manageable. Still not confident after the test? Test again.
Tip 1: Debrief every failure. After each setback, ask, “What did I learn?” and use that knowledge to improve your next move.
5. Get Serious About Sales
You can have the best product in the world, but without a rock-solid sales strategy, it won’t matter. A repeatable, consistent sales process is your business’s lifeblood. Your sales process brings in revenue, so you need to treat it like the heart of your company. Map out your sales funnel. Know exactly where your leads come from, how you’ll nurture them, and when you’ll ask for the sale. Be consistent, and do not give up.
Example: A friend built her small business on one simple sales strategy: consistent follow-ups. It wasn’t flashy, but her persistence increased her closing rate by 27%.
Tip 1: Master the basics. Focus on increasing three things—the number of customers, the value of each transaction, and how often they buy from you. Nail these, and you’re golden.
Tip 2: Track your metrics, know your closing rate, and look for patterns. Are there common reasons people say no? Fix the bottlenecks, and watch your conversions rise.
6. Build Systems That Run Without You
A lot of entrepreneurs dream about having a flourishing business while they are vacationing. But not many really set up the systems that would give you such freedom. If your business grinds to a halt when you step away, you’re setting yourself up for burnout. You need systems in place that allow the company to run without your constant involvement. This isn’t about being lazy; it’s about scaling. Tools like the Process Space®Platform can be game changers to optimize your existing processes and set up new ones quickly and with minimum risk involved.
Example: Look at McDonald’s. They don’t have a master chef cooking every burger, yet they’re consistent worldwide. The secret? Well-documented, perfected, repeatable systems.
Tip 1: Document everything. Create step-by-step guides, templates, check lists, and workflows. This will not only help you now but also make hiring and training a breeze.
Tip 2: Automate repetitive tasks. Use tools to automate repetitive tasks and free up time for high-impact work.
7. Create a Winning Culture
Your business is only as strong as your team, and your team is only as strong as the culture you built. A positive, problem-solving culture isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s essential. When people enjoy coming to work, they give their best. And when they’re empowered, they take ownership of growth. Happy, engaged employees lead to happy, loyal customers. So, how do you create a winning culture? It’s not just about perks like free snacks. It’s about purpose, ownership, and recognition.
Example 1: Netflix has a unique culture where employees are given immense freedom but also a high level of responsibility. The company operates under the belief that people perform best when they’re trusted to make decisions. They have no formal policies on vacation or working hours, allowing employees to manage their own time. This culture of ownership and accountability has helped Netflix attract top talent and maintain high levels of innovation and performance.
Example 2: I’m sure you didn’t miss one of many viral videos showing Southwest Airlines employees giving funny safety instructions. They prioritise its employees above everything else, believing that happy employees lead to happy customers. They are known for their fun and supportive work environment, where employees are encouraged to be themselves. This strong, positive culture has contributed to Southwest’s consistent profitability and high customer satisfaction.
Tip 1: Give employees ownership over their work. The more control they have, the more invested they’ll be in the outcome.
Tip 2: Foster an environment where ideas are encouraged. Even the crazy ones. You never know what might stick.
Tip 3: Recognize wins, no matter how small. A simple “thank you” can build trust and motivation.
8. Embrace Change Or Get Left Behind
Businesses that survive and grow are the ones that adapt. Change isn’t optional – it’s inevitable. If you’re not evolving, your competitors will leave you behind. Look at companies like Nokia and Kodak—once leaders in their industries, they failed to innovate and lost their place in the market.
Example: Netflix started as a mail-order DVD rental, shifted to streaming, and eventually moved into producing original content. Each time, they adapted to changing consumer demands and technology. That willingness to embrace change is why they’re a global leader today.
Tip 1: Keep an eye on the trends. Don’t chase every fad, but stay open to new ideas. Keep a pulse on your industry and be willing to adjust before it’s too late.
Tip 2: Build a culture that celebrates experimentation and innovation. Encourage your team to experiment with new ideas, even if some fail.
Tip 3: Stay on top of industry news. Read, listen to podcasts, attend conferences, build your community on socials – keep learning.
9. Stay Focused On Growth, Not Just Operations
It’s easy to get stuck in the day-to-day grind of running a business. But you’re standing still if you’re not actively pushing for growth. The best companies are always looking for ways to expand—whether that’s finding new markets, developing new products, or improving customer retention.
Tip 1: Dedicate one hour a week to brainstorm new ways to grow. Block it out on your calendar. This could be brainstorming new ideas, improving your customer journey, or networking with potential partners.
Tip 2: Set up monthly growth reviews. Look at what’s working and what’s not, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
10. Prioritize The Right Stuff
You could be working on a million things every day, but not all of them matter. Successful entrepreneurs know how to separate the essentials from the noise. The key? Stay laser-focused on what moves you toward your goals. Everything else? It can wait.
Example: When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, he cut 70% of the product line to focus on a few key items—the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook. Those decisions turned Apple into a trillion-dollar company.
Tip 1: Start your day with the top 3 tasks to move your business forward. Focus on those before anything else.
Tip 2: Filter distractions. Ask yourself: “Will this task help me reach my goals faster?” If not, it can wait.
Building a successful business is tough but doesn’t have to be chaotic. Being an entrepreneur does not mean you need to juggle a million priorities. It’s about focusing on the ones that matter most. Adopt these 10 essential moves, and you’ll create a solid foundation for growth in any market.
Which of these priorities have you been neglecting? Be honest with yourself – then schedule a free consultation call with our team to discover what’s holding your business back and how we can help you grow.