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Five steps to growing your business, safely
15 April 2024

There is an inherent degree of risk in any business growth strategy – but keeping this risk to a minimum can help you grow your business without sacrificing your hard work.

Growing your business hinges on your ability to take calculated risks, whether that be by investing in innovation or by taking on a new member of staff.

This risk is not a negative thing – in fact, it is indicative of a strong growth strategy.

However, it is important to understand how risk mitigation fits into your business growth strategy rather than viewing it as an isolated consideration.

This way, you can grow your business safely and sustainably. Here’s how:

Diversification

Expanding your product or service offering can help spread risk across multiple markets, particularly if your market is prone to fluctuations.

By not relying on a single source of revenue, your business can better withstand variations in the market which might temporarily reduce the value of a product or service.

Diversification can also include entering new markets or demographics, as well as introducing entirely new products or services, reducing the impact of poor performance in any one area.

Financial management

Robust financial management is crucial for growth and risk reduction.

This includes maintaining a healthy cash flow, setting aside reserves for emergencies, and managing debt responsibly.

For example, you may take on a business loan to finance growth. This is likely to carry an acceptable level of risk, provided you allocate funds according to genuine need and make timely repayments.

Regular financial reviews can help you make informed decisions, spot trends, and address issues before they escalate.

Market research

Understanding your market is key to successful growth.

Continuous market research helps you stay ahead of trends, understand your competition, and identify new opportunities.

It also allows you to make data-driven decisions, reducing the risk of costly mistakes by showing you which risks are, statistically speaking, worth taking.

Investment in technology

Technology can streamline operations, improve efficiency, and open new channels for business.

Investing in the right technology can also help you stay competitive and responsive to changes in the market.

For example, management software can offer substantial time savings over traditional administration methods with automation and integrations, which streamline repetitive tasks.

However, it’s important to assess the risks and ensure that any technology investment delivers value by continually monitoring return on investment and identifying bottlenecks.

Strategic partnerships

Forming alliances with other businesses can provide mutual benefits, such as access to new markets, shared resources, and enhanced capabilities.

Partnerships can also help spread risk through these avenues and by, for example, sharing the cost of investment in a new venture.

It’s important to choose partners wisely and ensure that agreements align with your business goals and values.

It is also important to seek external advice from experts before making significant decisions within your business, which could carry high levels of risk.

We can help you identify your growth priorities and make investments and operational improvements in the right places to achieve these goals.

Contact us today to find out how.