Should I Stay or Should I Grow?
What's the right size for your small biz
Growth sounds exciting. More sales, more customers, a bigger team, maybe even a fancy espresso machine in your future office. But let’s be real: scaling up isn’t for everyone. For some entrepreneurs, staying small, lean and in control is the dream. So how do you know if it’s time to go big or stay small?
What do you want your business to look like?
Picture your ideal workday. Are you leading a team of 20, holding Zoom calls about expansion into new markets and managing All The Things? Or do you love being hands-on, flexible and deeply involved in the craft or service you’re passionate about? BTW: one isn’t better than the other. It’s all about what lights you up (and doesn’t make you want to throw your laptop out the window).
Can you handle the pressure?
Growth sounds glamorous until you realize it comes with more decisions, more delegation, and yeah, more stress. It also means setting up systems that won’t break the second things get busy. If your current setup is held together with duct tape and last-minute energy, it might be wise to tighten up before scaling up.
What’s the financial reality?
Growth usually requires spending money to (hopefully) make more money. That might mean hiring help, investing in tools, or giving up your DIY website from 2013. Run the numbers, sip some coffee (or wine, no judgment), and make sure the math adds up before you leap into “super boss mode.”
Are you doing it for the right reasons?
Growing because you want to? Awesome. Growing because you feel like you’re supposed to? Eh, not so much. Don’t let social media pressure or that one overachieving friend make you feel like you’re behind. Success should align with your vision, not your FOMO.
Success doesn’t have to mean bigger.
A profitable business that gives you freedom, peace of mind, and maybe even weekday naps? That’s success. You don’t need an empire to feel like a boss. Sometimes, "small but mighty" is the perfect fit.
At the end of the day, whether you're building the next big thing or keeping it delightfully bite-sized, the best business is one that doesn’t make you scream into a pillow every Monday morning. Growth is great—but so is sleeping in, taking Fridays off and knowing all your customers by name. So trust your gut, own your pace and remember: even Beyoncé didn’t build a brand empire overnight.