• When was the last time you reviewed the costs for your business? Are you still on the most cost-effective contracts; are you paying over the odds for materials; utilities; staffing?
• Is there more revenue you could be generating through your existing customers?
• Are you paying down loans – are you on the most cost-effective rate?
• If you are having cashflow difficulties, have you spoken to your creditors to agree a payment plan – being upfront and keeping good lines of communication open is essential in these situations to maintain a good relationship once everything is ok again.
• Are there additional “easy” ways you could generate revenue to bolster your cash position
• Have you chased your debtors consistently to be paid what you are owed?

2 Refresh your mind on your vision and values

• Keep yourself motivated – why are you running the business you are – what is your vision/ objective/ target. Remind yourself what you are going to do when you reach it or have a picture of your dream car/ yacht/ holiday somewhere where you can see it.

3 Strengthen and look after your team

• Not necessarily in numbers but in skills – are there staff that could be nutured now in management skills who could train and manage new staff when new people are brought on board? Can you cross-train staff so everyone knows how to do most tasks to avoid blockages in workflow.
• Think about the ways in which you would resource up when growth hits – you don’t always have to resource up using a recruitment agent – apprenticeships; graduates; subcontractors; outsourcing companies are all different strategies you could use – make the contacts now so you are picking up the phone to someone you know when the time is right.

4 Look after what you have

• Make sure your customers and your staff are happy, looked after and valued. Losing major income generators or key reliable members of staff at a critical point when new business comes on board is a situation you can do without.
• Are there any accreditation schemes that can help you confirm your standing in your industry or service sector? (ISO 9001:2008 or Investors in People for example)
• Stockpile cash where you can and ensure your insurance and back up plans are up to date and relevant.

5 Leverage new technologies and ideas

• Keep an eye on what is going on in your industry and on what your competitors are doing. Are there any technological advances that you could use to your benefit to make your workflow processes smarter or faster? Could you team up with another business to provide a better offering or something not currently available in the market place?

6 Be positive and tenacious

• And surround yourself with like-minded people. Your working environment will be more rewarding and pleasant!

Want to grow your business? Paper Mountain Solutions can help you! Contact Paper Mountain Solutions on 0844 826 0579 and ask to speak to Paul, or contact him by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it