Business growth: Why most Business Owners stall at £250k
Last week, I took a day out to celebrate with my latest client (and his team) who has recently smashed through the £1m turnover mark. It’s no mean feat, with only about 9% of approaching 6 million SMEs in the UK getting to this level and beyond.
Growing a business beyond £1m in turnover is rarely about working harder. From my experience, for many Business Owners, more effort leads to more chaos, not more growth. Working more hours isn’t a good plan if you are exhausted, overwhelmed and ineffective. Read more on that here.
When I first started chatting to a c£500k client three years back said, “If I could sell the business tomorrow for £1, I would do!” He was so fed up of the overwhelming, long hours and never ending to-do list! Last year he turned over just short of £2m and now spends his weekends living his life on his terms.
In the last three years, I have helped 15 clients break through the £1m barrier, and a clear pattern has emerged; the same challenges hold ambitious business owners back, no matter their industry.
They often have a great product but not a great business.
They start with passion, grit, and hard work, but eventually hit a wall. Usually around the £250k turnover mark:
- They’re stuck in the weeds, fire-fighting, with no time to think strategically
- They’re making money, but not enough profit to hire, invest or increase drawings
- They’re winging it with operations, reinventing the wheel daily and constantly tweaking
- They’re dabbling in marketing, unsure what’s actually working and wasting money
- They’re missing accountability, and overwhelmed by decision fatigue
They’re constantly busy but rarely productive, progress is replaced by plate-spinning, and their calendar runs them, not the other way around. They’ve hit a ceiling where the skills and team that got them here won’t get them to the next level, but they’re not sure what needs to change.
Sound familiar?
Well, it doesn’t have to be this way!
That’s where my unique GROWTH model comes in. A practical, proven framework I use with clients to shift them from reactive to strategic. It’s never just about revenue; it’s about building a business that gives you the freedom, the time, the profit, and the structure to step back without things falling apart.
The model has been developed after 30+ years of experience working in and on many businesses and after working with thousands of business leaders over the last 15 years. It’s designed for Business Owners who are done with surviving and are ready to scale with clarity and focus.
Whether you want to hire a team that frees you, improve service levels, get better clarity on your numbers or finally get consistent leads, the GROWTH model helps you focus on what actually moves the needle.
My clients often don’t need more ideas. They need clarity, systems, experienced support, and someone to hold them to account and help them take action.
If you’re an ambitious founder who is serious business growth scaling to (and beyond) £1m, without burning out or losing control, it may be time to stop going it alone.
15 business owners have already made that leap with me recently. If you’re ready to be the 16th, it’s time to chat.
