Last month, I had a chat with a business owner in South Canterbury. We’ll call him Dave (not his real name – though you might know someone just like him). Dave runs a solid trade business, lots of happy customers, and plenty of work. But on the phone, he sounded worn out.
“Christine, I’m working 70 hours a week. The team’s losing motivation. My partner’s losing patience. And the accountant just told me we didn’t make a profit. Again.”
That’s when I asked him the same thing I’ve asked so many other small business owners:
“How much worse does it have to be before you do something about it?”
He paused. Then quietly said, “That’s why I called.”
The Boiling Frog Problem
You’ve probably heard the story – drop a frog into boiling water, it jumps out. But heat it slowly? It stays put until it’s too late. That’s what happens to many business owners.
One overdue invoice. A dropped quote. A part-timer who doesn’t turn up. A website that hasn’t been updated in years. Alone, they’re manageable. But together? They slowly turn up the heat until you’re simmering in stress and cashflow issues.
Jane’s Shop That Used to Be Fun
Jane runs a retail shop – or did. These days, she says it runs her. She used to love choosing stock, creating fun window displays, and chatting with regulars. Now she’s drowning in freight delays, broken systems, and stock that isn’t selling.
When we met, she was running on empty. Her Instagram still showed last year’s stock, she hadn’t had a day off in months, and her smile was barely hanging on.
We got to work. We cleaned up the systems, made a simple marketing plan, and let go of what wasn’t working. Six weeks later she took her first proper weekend off in years – and came back to stronger sales than ever.
Doing Nothing Still Has a Cost
Here’s the thing: not acting isn’t neutral. It costs you:
- Time you could spend on bigger goals (or with your family)
- Profit lost through inefficiencies you’ve stopped noticing
- Customers who quietly leave when things get inconsistent
Most business owners think they’ll fix it all “when things calm down.” But calm never comes on its own. It has to be created, with intention and action.
A Better Way Forward
When you work with me, we do four things:
- Talk honestly about what’s working and what’s not.
- Use a smart spreadsheet (I call it my Profit Leakage calculator) to see where money’s slipping away.
- Build a practical plan that fits your life – not just your business.
- Put the plan into action, step by step, with support the whole way.
It’s not theory. It’s not fluff. It’s results, backed by strategy, and driven by what you want from your life – not just your to-do list.
What Does It Look Like When Things Change?
Imagine finishing on time, with everything under control. Having confidence in your numbers. A team that knows what to do without you watching every move. Space to take a day off – or even a long weekend – without dreading what you’ll return to.
That’s what happens when you stop waiting and start planning.
The Question to Ask Yourself
If you’re stuck in the cycle of late nights, poor cashflow, or constant chaos, ask yourself this:
How much worse does it have to be before you do something about it?
If the answer is “not much” – then it’s probably time to talk.
Book a free business strategy session or find out more about how I work.
