2025: THE YEAR TO GET AHEAD
Written by Jessica Murray
The calendar flipped, and 2024 is now in the rearview mirror. When welcoming a new year, are you, like many business owners we partner with, wondering if this is the year you'll get ahead of your operational challenges instead of just keeping up with them?
The new year reality check
You probably have this mental checklist, and much more, running through your head right now:
✅ Is our budget set?
✅ Did we lock down our strategy and goals?
✅ Do we have the right people in the right seats to accomplish everything?
✅ What are the big roadblocks that could slow us down?
✅ Did we solve our most pressing issues last year, or are things still lingering?
As you review this list, you might feel energized and ready to conquer 2025. On the other hand, you might also feel a little dizzy and overwhelmed. Both reactions are completely normal. However, if you’re more in the “dizzy and overwhelmed” camp, you might need to ask yourself a crucial question: Am I shouldering too much of the business, and does something need to give this year?
If you suspect things need to change, but your team is stretched thin, now is the time to explore working with an external partner to address those challenges before they jeopardize your 2025 goals — not in three, six, or nine months.
As a small business owner or startup founder, you may be holding on to too much, and issues aren’t being untangled fast enough. It can be easy to observe a break in a process and say you’ll get to it later because you need to focus on capturing a new customer. Or you can convince yourself that there’s too much going on to focus on the customer complaining about X,Y or Z for the fifth time this month. But, the more resolution to important issues get postponed, especially if you’re in growth mode, the more painful they will be to fix when you get to the point where it’s no longer a choice.
The hidden costs of delayed action
The impacts of inaction can compound quickly and I’ve seen it happen many times. I’ve observed business owners delay difficult management conversations for months, despite declining financial performance, or owners burning out from not proactively thinking about capacity and the resources required to execute projects or initiatives. Those are two examples, but I have many more.
The common refrain typically includes, “There’s no time to deal with that right now.”
However, if that becomes the persistent attitude toward real operational issues with your business, the costs can be higher than you expect (and, again, I’ve seen this happen).
Financial impact
Revenue opportunities slip through the cracks.
Productivity drains from inefficient processes.
Increased team turnover affects the top and bottom line.
Technical debt grows, requiring expensive investments later.
Customer impact
Satisfaction declines because of a suboptimal customer experience.
Churn increases.
Referral opportunities diminish.
Missed expansion opportunities to tap into new markets.
Team impact
Burnout becomes the norm; not the exception.
Morale suffers because of unaddressed issues.
Misalignment grows, hindering execution.
Not a great picture, is it?
How we can support a better path forward
So, what can you do when you feel like you’re at max capacity, but you also know something’s got to give? Ask for help. Identify partners you can trust to come in, quickly assess the business and take action that will unblock you, save time and keep you on track.
External partners, like Empower, can bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that save time and amplify your resources.
To illuminate this point further, here are ten things we address for our partners:
1️⃣ Process Optimization: We audit current operations and implement improvements that make an immediate impact.
2️⃣ Strategic Alignment: We ensure daily operations support strategic priorities.
3️⃣ Bottleneck Elimination: We identify and remove the obstacles standing between you and growth.
4️⃣ Resource Optimization: We help deploy your people and tools more effectively.
5️⃣ Poorly integrated technology: Bring clarity to how technology can be used to solve specific business objectives and integrate more seamlessly across systems.
6️⃣ Quality Enhancement: We implement procedures that improve consistency and delivery.
7️⃣ Breaking down silos: We work through communication barriers and boost collaboration.
8️⃣ Strategic planning: We provide structure for sustainable business planning.
9️⃣ Risk management: We help build a more resilient business.
1️⃣0️⃣ Scalability: We create the foundation for sustainable growth.
Let’s take action together
It’s the start of the year. Kick it off right.
Don't kick the can down the road if any of the ten bottlenecks or growth hurdles threaten your 2025 goals. We can partner with you to effect the change you need.
Start with action today. Reach out at info@hiempower.co to set up time for us to chat. We can put the plan in place to make 2025 the year you put operational challenges in the rearview mirror.
P.S. - We’ll officially launch our new advisory offering, Empower Progress, into the wild in a couple of weeks. This is yet another way we’ll be supporting business owners who want to change their trajectory for the better. If you want the details sooner, get on my calendar now for a Discovery Call!