Growth as a business owner is exhilarating. You have been in the time and effort and are seeing your business take off. You may have reached that next revenue level or your team may be growing, but scaling a business is a tricky. What got to you to your current place won’t get you to the next level.
Often, the business owner gets too wrapped up in the day to day to step back and take a strategic (planned) look at what needs to be shifted in order to scale sustainably and make some pretty simple mistakes.
Here are 3 mistakes business owners make when they are trying to scale their businesses:
1. The copy-and-paste delusion. Many leaders assume that what worked for their small team will seamlessly translate to a larger operation. Spoiler alert: it won’t.
As you scale, your processes need to evolve. That casual Friday brainstorm session that sparked innovation? It might become a productivity black hole with 50 people. The key is to identify your core strengths and adapt them for scale, not blindly replicate them.
2. Avoid the hiring frenzy. In the rush to grow, companies often fall into the trap of rapid hiring without an onboarding strategy. Worse, they hire when they simply need better processes or technology in place. If not done correctly, it leads to a bloated workforce that’s disengaged and not efficient.
Remember, scaling isn’t just about more bodies. It’s about building a team that can handle increased complexity. Focus on developing your existing talent and hiring strategically, not frantically.
3. The third mistake is tunnel vision syndrome. When scaling, it’s easy to become obsessed with growth metrics while ignoring other crucial aspects of your business.
Yes, numbers matter, but customer satisfaction, employee well being, and long term sustainability also matter. You must take a 360 view of your organization.
Avoiding these pitfalls isn’t just about preventing failure—it’s about setting the stage for sustainable success. Scaling isn’t about being bigger; it’s about being better.
If you have grown in the number of staff you have or increased in revenue, its time to create your game plan to move your organization forward sustainably and successfully.
Ways to Work Together
If you are feeling trapped in your business and not experiencing the freedom you want, here are the two ways we can work together.
One-on-One: Ready to create a business that allows you the freedom you want? We are passionate about our custom solutions and systems for your business. Our approach takes your industry, your unique disposition as a business owner, and your emerging definition of success, and we develop a unique to you plan to move you towards loving your business again. Click the link above to set up a call identify your goals, discuss your current roadblocks, and to ask any questions about working together.
Business Roadmap: This is for the business owner who needs help on what the next thing is to do, and the next 5 steps after that. You don’t need another social media course, email funnel, or sales strategy, but a plan specific to you and your business. You’ll gain clarity on where your business is at, create a plan, you’ll know what to do and what to ignore, along with the resources you need. In the end, you will take that plan and implement, saving you thousands of dollars and years of headache.
A third way, and I know I only said two, but sometimes I can’t help myself. If you are feeling stuck and are in need of resources, reach out. I am happy to point you in the right direction and even provide an asset of my own to help you move forward.
If you find you are feeling overwhelmed in your role as a leader or business owner, and need to gain clarity and a path forward, scheduling a First Steps Consultation may be your next best step. Sign up here
Stephanie German is a business strategist, adjunct professor, and speaker. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and loves giving back to her community in a variety of ways. When she’s not coaching clients or writing about leadership, Stephanie is usually headed to the mountains or the beach with her family, drinking savory wine, or working on the latest project with her husband. Stephanie’s greatest desires are to raise up the next generation of leaders while raising her own children to be strong, independent, and brave. She lives in Fresno, California with her husband Blake and her three spunky daughters, Cara, Kinsey, and Peyton. She is the best-selling author of So Your Boss Can’t Lead?