Concerns surrounding the current changing economic cycle amid rampant running inflation, a tightening monetary policy, and an even tighter labor market has seen small business sentiment reach a new low against the backdrop of tumultuous conditions.
Across the board, small business confidence has plummeted to new record lows. According to an earlier August report by CNBC, The Small Business Confidence Index dropped to 42 points at the start of the third quarter, four points lower than the quarter before.
Today, more than half – 51% – of small business owners and entrepreneurs have described the current state of the economy as “poor,” a jump from 44% recorded in the second quarter.
The post-pandemic economy, which has brought widespread uncertainty to both business owners and consumers has left many owners signaling red as they try to shield themselves financially against a looming recession.
The tall tale that reads around 90% of startups fail, and 10% fail within the first year since inception is looking more and more realistic these days.
A lack of financial capital, consumer support, and appropriate services or products in a highly competitive market has driven many startup entrepreneurs further into the dark. But these and other conditions have been a persisting challenge for many startup owners, and for those who can upscale their ventures in the coming months or years or now left feeling more puzzled than ever before.
Despite the hard economic challenges, running from higher operating costs to troublesome labor conditions, there are still a number of startups – in several industries – that carry the potential to increase their capacity, whether it’s broadening their services or products offerings, onboarding new personnel, or even going public with a brick-and-mortar store.
Signs That Indicate That It Is Time To Scale Your Business
Regardless of the conditions, you’re operating, it’s time that you start noticing the signs that will help you realize it’s time to scale your business – and here are five of the most common ones.
You Still Have Ongoing Funding
Whether your startup was lucky enough to strike a few lucrative funding deals with credible investors, or you recently signed new backers that are willing to invest in your new line of products and services, startups that still have plentiful funding amid the turndown will potentially be ready to scale their ventures in the coming months or years.
It’s always best to consider how funding is used, and where most of its being allocated. If most of your finances are currently tied to research and development, you might want to still hold out before going too big too soon. If the funding is still there, it’s a good indicator that the startup is still in a good position and that the possibilities of scaling could be around the corner.
Optimized Sales
Sales have been booming, and the startup is finding it more and more difficult to keep up with the strong demand. If you notice that you need to hire or onboard new personnel to help drive revenue and growth, you might need to consider how you can scale your business in the months ahead.
It’s best to play it safe, as most of the time higher sales can be driven by market trends, and consumer shopping behaviors can change on a whim. If your sales strategy is still on track with startup goals, look to ways in which you can initiate optimized sales growth, while at the same time onboarding a talented team.
Sturdy and Loyal Customer Base
Startups that are more focused on rapid growth, and not consumer demands or building a loyal customer base tend to fail a lot quicker. This might not be the case for every startup, as industries do tend to differ, and consumer purchasing behavior.
Nonetheless, startups that have established a loyal and trusting customer base, and that have a clear value proposition within their business ethos might be ready to start branching out to other parts of the consumer market.
It could also swing the other way around. In the case where a startup has to start turning clients away, because of increased demand, and not enough physical hands to help the business cope, the business could start running into a bottleneck situation.
This is why it’s important to invest in a valuable core team that can help drive sales, and carry the potential to push further development of the business.
You Have a Strong Team
Although customers are a crucial part of the business, a strong and highly motivated team is just as important to the core of the business.
Any business owner will tell you that without the right people, a business is setting itself up for failure. Having a strong team that carries out the mission of the business day in and out will only help a startup become more successful in the long run.
If you notice that your team is capable of running projects by themselves, resolving issues without requiring executive intervention, or generating new leads that could potentially lead to new sales – your startup might be ready for the next step of its scaling journey.
Steady Cash Flow
Aside from investor funding deals and private backers, startups that enjoy steady cash flow might be in the right position to enter a new era of growth.
Although it’s possible that scaling your startup will automatically increase costs, it’s important to delay every outlay of cash as long as possible. This will help the business remain financially secure, even in the face of a sudden market downturn.
Generating revenue is a good thing, but having a steady stream of income coming and going through your business is a good indicator for any startup owner.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of startup owners who need to consider before simply deciding they want to scale their business. Whether it’s bringing onboard new members, or launching new products and services to help alleviate a bottleneck demand – seeing the signs of positive business growth means that your startup is ready for its next phase.
Published First on ValueWalk. Read Here.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Beytlik; Pexels; Thank you!
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