Most big business problems don’t start big.
They start with something small.
A customer who’s getting a little slower at paying. Costs creeping upwards. A VAT deadline that nearly gets forgotten. A process that takes 20 minutes longer than it should. A price that probably needs reviewing…but hasn’t been.
None of these things feel particularly urgent today.
And that’s exactly why they’re easy to ignore.
Small Problems Have A Habit Of Growing
Running a business is busy. There’s always something demanding your attention, so it’s natural to focus on whatever is shouting the loudest.
But what about the things quietly costing you money, time or headspace?
Take late-paying customers. One invoice being a few days late might not matter. But if it becomes normal across several customers, suddenly you’re spending time chasing debts and worrying about whether there’s enough cash in the bank.
Or perhaps your supplier costs have gradually increased, but your prices haven’t. Each individual increase might look manageable, while your profit margin is slowly being squeezed in the background.
The earlier you spot these things, the more options you usually have.
Give Your Business A 10-Minute Check-Up
Don’t wait for something to become a crisis before giving it your attention.
Run through these questions and answer Yes or No:
| Ask Yourself… | Yes / No |
|---|---|
| Do I know roughly what cash I expect to have in the bank over the next three months? | |
| Are customers paying me within my agreed payment terms? | |
| Have I reviewed my prices recently? | |
| Do I know whether rising costs are reducing my profit margins? | |
| Am I looking at useful financial information during the year – rather than waiting for my year-end accounts? | |
| Do I know my upcoming VAT, Corporation Tax, PAYE and other important deadlines? | |
| Are there repetitive admin tasks in the business that could be automated? | |
| Can the business operate effectively without everything coming through me? | |
| Do I have clear targets and regularly check whether we’re achieving them? | |
| Is there a business issue I already know needs sorting…but keep putting off? |
That final question is often the interesting one.
What did you immediately think of?
Maybe that’s the small problem worth dealing with first.
Make Remembering Easier
Sometimes the solution isn’t to try harder. It’s to put something in place so you don’t have to remember.
It’s one of the reasons GreenStones share our Dates for the Diary every month. There are plenty of deadlines for a busy business owner to keep track of – from VAT and PAYE to Corporation Tax and Companies House filing dates.
You’ve already got enough to think about.
The same principle can be applied elsewhere in your business. Automated invoice reminders can help with late payments. Regular management information can highlight rising costs. A cashflow forecast can give you an early warning of a potential squeeze.
Good systems help you spot the little things before they become expensive things.
What Are You Ignoring Right Now?
Strong businesses aren’t businesses without problems.
They’re businesses that spot problems and do something about them early.
So, go back through the checklist. If you answered “No” to something, don’t try to fix everything at once.
Pick one.
What could you change this week that would make running your business a little easier next week, next month or next year?
Need A Hand?
If you’ve spotted something in this checklist that you’ve been putting off, get in touch with GreenStones.
Whether it’s cashflow, pricing, rising costs, management information, tax deadlines or simply having someone to talk through an issue with, we’ll help you look at what’s happening and work out the next step.
Get in touch with GreenStones and let’s deal with the small problem while it’s still small.