Every Business is at a Crossroads of some description...

Most SME businesses are built on a passion for what they are doing – and often that is the main reason they keep going under the most difficult circumstances! That passion is infectious and exciting, but often needs channelling and directing.

Sometimes there is a crossroads in the start-up phase where the first flush of setting up the company has gone and they find they are without a Business Plan of any sort, or any real idea about how to move forward, how to create a brand, build a customer base, spend limited funds most wisely, employ staff and so on.

Sometimes the crossroads appears in the middle phase of the company where they may be looking for ways to move forward or change themselves or get a new vision - growth or diversification may be on their mind, or how to see more profit, or more customers, or more success, from all the efforts they are putting in - they probably need to move from the tactical to the strategic level. For the more mature companies maybe it is more like a roundabout than a simple crossroads—many different options about which way the business should go, how it should get there, how long it will take and what resources are required.

Sometime it’s a final crossroads for the business where they may feel they have achieved their vision and either want to find a new business venture to re-ignite their passion, or just work out an exit strategy for the owners and deal with the possible sale or closure of the business.

Which is your particular crossroads?