Growing a small business isn’t always about working even harder. It’s often about finding a way to get more out of what you’ve already got. And truth is, as your business starts to take off, things can get downright confusing.
You’ll probably find yourself juggling employees, dealing with customers, making sure the books balance, dealing with whatever operational headaches come up, and trying to sniff out new opportunities, all while somehow keeping the whole shebang moving forward. It can be tough to tear yourself away from the day-to-day and focus on where you actually want to take the business next.
That’s where a small business growth consultant comes in.
A growth consultant brings a completely fresh perspective to the table, some top-notch business experience, and a more structured approach to help you figure out what you need to do to grow, make the tough decisions, and build a more solid business. Rather than just throwing a bunch of different things at the wall and seeing what sticks, you can actually develop a clear plan for making your goals happen.
What Is a Small Business Growth Consultant?
A small business growth consultant works with business owners to identify what may be limiting growth and develop strategies to move the business forward.
Depending on your needs, the process may involve evaluating your business strategy, operations, sales and marketing, financial performance, team, or overall business model.
A growth consultant can help you:
- Identify new markets, services, or revenue opportunities.
- Improve processes and operational efficiency.
- Develop more effective sales and marketing strategies.
- Evaluate financial performance and improve profitability.
- Build a stronger team and delegate responsibilities.
- Select technology and systems that support growth.
- Develop a strategic plan with clear priorities and measurable goals.
Most importantly, a good growth consultant helps turn ideas into action. Instead of just identifying improvements, they help determine what should happen first and how to make it happen.
Benefits of Hiring a Small Business Growth Consultant
1. Gain an Objective Perspective
When you spend every day running your business, it can be difficult to see it objectively.
Processes that no longer work may have become routine. When you focus on immediate priorities, you may overlook opportunities. Problems may also be symptoms of a larger issue that isn’t obvious from inside the business.
A growth consultant can look at your business from a different perspective and ask questions that help uncover inefficiencies, obstacles, and opportunities you may not have considered.
2. Develop a Growth Strategy That Fits Your Business
There is no single formula for growing a business.
What works for one company may not make sense for another. Your strategy needs to reflect your industry, customers, team, financial situation, and long-term goals.
A growth consultant helps you determine where the best opportunities are and develop a practical plan for pursuing them. That might mean improving profitability before increasing revenue, strengthening your management team, expanding into a new market, or fixing operational problems before taking on more customers.
The goal isn’t growth for growth’s sake. It’s building a stronger, more valuable business.
3. Benefit from Experience and Expertise
Business owners often find themselves staring down challenges that are completely new to them.
A growth consultant is usually no stranger to those kinds of situations, having already helped other companies through the same sorts of problems. They know instinctively which questions to ask, which places to look for trouble, and where businesses tend to go wrong.
All that experience helps you make decisions a whole lot faster and avoid throwing good money after bad.
4. Improve Efficiency
Growth can really bring some hidden weaknesses to the surface.
Processes that worked well for your small operation may not be sufficient as you start to grow. Owners often find themselves stuck in the day-to-day details because too much still relies on them.
A growth consultant can help you spot which processes are no longer working and need to be overhauled, whether that means letting go of some of the workload, automating certain tasks, or just cleaning up some old habits. As a result, your team can get on with the job, and you can spend more time running the business instead of being bogged down in the nitty-gritty.
5. Get Around Staffing Shortfalls
You don’t have to break the bank by hiring another full-time person to fix every problem that comes up.
Experienced growth consultants usually know people who can lend a helping hand when you need it in areas like finance, marketing, tech, HR, and operations.
They can even help you figure out when it makes sense to bring in outside help and connect you with the right people at the right time.
6. Make Smarter Business Decisions
Every business growth opportunity comes with some level of risk and uncertainty attached.
Should you bring on more staff, add a new line of service, or expand into a whole new market? Can you invest in some new technology or even buy another company?
A good growth consultant can help you weigh those decisions using real numbers and your own market conditions to make sure you’re not biting off more than you can chew. You’re still in the driver’s seat, but you can make a more informed decision with a clearer idea of what could go right or wrong.
What Can You Expect to Get Back from Hiring a Growth Consultant?
We know that bringing in a consultant to help drive growth is an investment, and the first thing that comes to mind is “Will I get a return on this?”
The return on investment isn’t always just about seeing a big jump in revenue right off the bat. A good consultant can do all sorts of things, like help you squeeze out a bit more profit, save you some cash on unnecessary expenses, iron out problems with how things are run, steer you clear of bad investments, or even set up systems that let your business grow without totally overwhelming you or your team.
They can also help you focus your efforts on what really matters: the things that will actually make a difference.
But a consultant who really delivers value will help you make smarter decisions and actually see them through to the end.
Now, not every consultant will be the right fit for your company. So, what should you look for?
- Business experience for real. You want to find a consultant who’s done the actual legwork in business. You want someone with a track record that shows they know the deal.
- The consultant who will get things done. Strategy is all well and good, but what actually gets results is execution. So look for someone who’s actually willing to roll up their sleeves and help put the plan into action.
- Someone who speaks plain English. Your consultant should be able to break down business jargon into something that makes sense and give you a clear idea of what’s coming next.
- Someone who gets what you’re after. A good consultant doesn’t try to impose their formula on your business. They take the time to figure out what you want from your company and work from there.
- A mentor who’s not afraid to challenge you. Let’s face it, hiring a consultant isn’t about getting a yes man. The right advisor will ask tough questions and point out the things that are holding your business back.
When Should You Bring in a Growth Consultant?
You don’t have to wait until things are going south to get some outside help. Often it makes sense to bring in an advisor just before a big change to make sure you’re ready for what’s coming next.
Consider working with a growth consultant if:
- Growth Has Come to a Halt. Your revenue, profit, or customer numbers are just not moving in the way you hoped, and you’re not really sure what’s going on.
- You’re Swamped with Too Many Options. You’ve got loads of ideas but struggle to figure out which one to focus on and where to put your time and resources.
- Your Business Has Outgrown Itself. Those processes that used to work just fine are now getting in the way, slowing you down, and making things more complicated than they need to be.
- You’re Looking to Break Into a New Market or Add Some New Services. Sometimes it helps to get an outside view on whether an opportunity is worth pursuing and, if so, how to make the most of it.
- Your Business Is Too Dependent On You. If there are loads of decisions, customer relationships, and day-to-day stuff that all need your personal attention, then maybe it’s time to start building a more robust management team.
- You’re Planning to Sell Up or Pass On the Business to Someone Else. Getting the business as healthy and attractive as possible will make it a lot more desirable to potential buyers and make the transition to the next generation of leadership a lot smoother.
Build a Stronger Business, Not Just a Bigger One
Successful growth requires more than increasing sales. Your people, processes, finances, and operations need to be able to support that growth.
A small business growth consultant can help you look beyond today’s challenges and focus on building a company that is more profitable, efficient, and valuable over the long term.
You don’t have to figure out every stage of growth on your own. The right advisor can provide the perspective, experience, and accountability you need to identify your priorities, create a plan, and put that plan into action.
If your business is ready for its next stage of growth, Mosaic Business Advisors can help you determine what’s holding you back and develop a practical strategy for moving forward.
Debra Murphy is a marketing coach and consultant helping small businesses navigate the complex maze of online marketing. Experienced across all traditional marketing channels, Debra specializes in organic search and content marketing to help small businesses gain visibility and generate inbound leads. She is also a certified coach in the 90 Day Year® Peak Performance System. Debra regularly writes about small business marketing on her Masterful Marketing blog.
