Why Your Business Progress Is Slower Than You’d Like

January 24, 2020

We’d all like business success to come quickly, especially since this means that we do actually have a successful venture. But as many entrepreneurs find out, that rarely turns out to be the case. We might eventually find success, but it might take more time than we’d like — and in some cases, it might seem that progress is positively pedestrian. While you can’t always rush success along, there’s no reason why you should hold things back. Yet that’s exactly what many business owners end up doing. Below, we take a look at a few causes for slow progress — and offer some tips on how to rectify these issues.

Ineffective Hours

One reason why you might not be progressing as much as you’d like is that you’re not working as effectively as you think you are. There are plenty of people who spend twelve hours in the office, but they don’t actually work for twelve hours when they’re there. So while in their head they should be making giant leaps forward with their business, in reality, they’re just taking baby steps. It’s worthwhile looking at your working day and creating an honest assessment of how much work you’re getting done. It could be that you’re only getting three hours of actual hard work done during your busy day.

Unclear Path

If you’re trying to get to the top of a mountain, then you need to plot your path there. You can’t just walk in any which direction, and expect to reach the top. While you should stay focused on the day to day operations of your business, it’s also important that you have a long-term vision, which will help to guide you towards success. This will also help to keep you focused and pushing forward, rather than becoming content with your minor successes.

The Wrong Setup

You could probably build a successful business just by using pen, paper, and mind, but it sure would be a lot more difficult. The best companies recognize that technology can be utilized to significantly increase their output. But if you don’t have the right setup, then this won’t be possible. As such, it’s recommended that you work with the experts, who can help ensure that your tech is on-point. There are companies that specialize in outsourced IT for businesses that can help to create tailor-made strategies for your company. With the right setup, you might just find that your productivity shoots through the roof.

Doing Everything Yourself

You’re going to have some skills needed to create a profitable company, but you’re not going to have all the skills. Some entrepreneurs inadvertently hurt their company’s progress by trying to do everything on their own. Your business is your baby, sure, but it’ll be raised better if there are multiple people guiding it in the right direction. Whether it’s bringing employees or outsourcing some tasks, you’ll find that you’re able to work much more quickly — and better — when you have people to help you along the way. 

Mark Asquith

That British podcast guy, Mark is co-founder of Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host. A Harvard, TEDx, Podcast Movement and Podfest speaker (amongst many more!), he's a wildly approachable Brit and Star Wars/DC Comics geek.

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