True Growth Comes from Within

There is a familiar saying that goes if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always get. This phrase holds true in many aspects of life as it does in business.

At the outset small businesses will work out a system or process for completing a task, whether that be sales, procurement, manufacturing, hiring, marketing and so on. Once a business owner or team chose a process they often stick with it throughout the lifespan of their business.

When these processes, which are essential to the functioning of a corporation or foundational principles of a brand are instituted, whether efficient or not, are often times are clung to by the company as a barnacle on the bottom of an old fishing trawler. When stuck in a way of doing something in such a steadfast manner the result becomes repetition of said process or operations, repeatedly, and with newer entrepreneurs that repeating cycle never breaks and is often times is immovable.

While constant repetition can be efficient, it is only a benefit if those processes in place are optimized, refined, tested and analyzed. Too often small businesses create a system for something when just starting out and never revisit it leading to glaring inefficiencies in essential aspects of their business process, which may seem insignificant when originally starting up, however when the brand attempts to scale, those holes become large gaps of missed opportunity and greatly hinder the growth and ultimate longevity of the business.

The ability to look internally and take a sincere audit of key processes of a business is rare among many small business owners. The main reason is a constant focus on the external: getting more clients, creating products, market conditions etc. and blame on clients/customers, finances and more for slow revenue, reviews and so forth.

While there indeed needs to be a lens on the road ahead to the ultimate destination of brand growth and profitability, it can often lead to glaring issues within the vehicle transporting the brand to the checkered flag being overlooked. The driver keeping his eyes solely on the road doesn’t notice the check engine light and when the transportation breaks down may instead blame external variables which led them to a grinding halt.

Growth is adaptive, a business or anything for that matter, cannot grow or evolve without learning and adapting to the environment around it. As your business grows so does the environment which it operates, having the same processes in place when a business first incorporated will not be as efficient as when it’s revenue or inventory doubles, triples and so on.

The important point to keep in mind is just as trends and seasons are evolving, so indeed do your business’ practices, partnerships and processes. In order to stay in step with the potential forward evolution of your business the processes within must be aligned.

To ascertain a more accurate understanding of where your business’ processes or practices may be, attempt to summarize an answer to the following questions.

When did you create the processes that drive your business?

When was the last time you looked at them in depth, compared them to other strategies, providers or methods?

Have you tested a new idea or plan on a smaller scale, analyzed its performance and adapt?

When was the last time you implemented change of an operation(s) within your company, what were the results?

True change and growth cannot occur via external variables only; a positive evolution truly emanates from within. Just as we work on self to evolve in a positive manner, so too must we look internally within our businesses to achieve the sustainable benefits of true growth.

To gain personalized guidance for your business on this topic and others contact us.

- Vince Calace

Founder - Venture Business Development