Businesses fail for several reasons and many factors could be attributed to those reasons. One thing is however certain, businesses don’t just fail, they fail after they have given off certain pointers that most business owners either ignore or are not equipped enough to see. Like in life, however, we must learn from our mistakes and know that there is no such thing as failure; we fail only when we give up.
Entrepreneurship and risk-taking are ‘synonymous words’ – and business failure happens when business owners are unable to mitigate company-specific risks while simultaneously bringing a product or service to market at a price point that meets consumer demand levels.
Studies show that many businesses don’t exist for more than one year, some last five years and others, ten years. This may be due to an over-confident knowledge-of-the-market point of view that the business owner assumes or otherwise.
To avoid being in the statistic, business owners – or intending ones – need to understand what can lead to business failure, and how each challenge or crisis can be managed or avoided altogether.
Some other reasons businesses fail include mismanagement, lack of funding, faulty infrastructure or business model, and misplaced marketing initiatives.
Quick summary of reasons business failure is a common phenomenon
See also: Know Your Worth
Financial hurdles – Many businesses fail because the owners start without proper funding.
Mis-management – if a business insists on retaining inadequate management team, a pattern will be created and it may lead to business failure.
Ineffective business planning – businesses fail because the owners don’t prioritise effective business planning.
Misplaced marketing campaigns – Business owners often fail to prepare for the marketing needs of a company in terms of capital required, prospect reach, and accurate conversion-ratio projections.
Lack of personal growth – business owners cannot stop learning once the business has launched. They need to invest in themselves.
Financial hurdles
Working capital or lack of capital should be an indispensable conversation when setting up a business. Many times, business owners understand how much is spent on daily operations, including funding payroll, paying fixed and varied overhead expenses, such as rent and utilities; and ensuring that outsourced tasks are well-funded. However, owners of failing companies are less in tune with how much revenue is generated by sales of products or services. This disconnect leads to funding shortfalls that can quickly put a small business out of operation.
Business owners also fail to prioritise financially effective pricing on products and services. Many times, to beat the competition, small business owners take the price far lower with the intent to entice customers. While this is successful in some cases, businesses that end up closing their doors are those that keep the price of a product or service too low for too long. When the costs of production, marketing, and delivery outweigh the revenue generated from new sales, small businesses have little choice but to close down.
How to avoid this problem?
Business owners should learn to be realistic with their budget and be willing to fund the business from their pockets during the startup or expansion phase. Also, business owners should research and secure multiple financing options before funding becomes a problem. When the time comes to obtain funding, business owners should already have a variety of sources they can tap for capital.
Mis-management
Business owners are usually the only senior-level person in a company, especially if the business just launched operations. And, while the owner may have the skills necessary to create and sell a marketable product or service, there may exist a lack of attributes of a strong manager, which should exist since there are other people in the business to manage.
How to avoid this problem?
The business owner can outsource activities where is a lack of skills or time. A strong management team is one of the first additions a small business needs to continue operations well into the future. It is important for business owners to feel comfortable with the level of understanding each manager has regarding the business’ operations, current and future employees, and products or services.
Ineffective business planning
Small businesses often overlook the importance of effective business planning prior to launching. A sound business plan should include, at a minimum:
A clear description of the business
Current and future employee and management needs
Opportunities and threats within the broader market
Capital needs, including projected cash flow and various budgets
Marketing initiatives
Competitor analysis
Challenges are unavoidable, but business owners who fail to address the needs of a well-laid out plan before launching will meet bigger challenges than they can take. Also, a business that does not regularly review an initial business plan—or one that is not prepared to adapt to changes in the market or industry—meets potentially insurmountable obstacles throughout the course of its lifetime.
How to avoid this problem?
Entrepreneurs should avoid a business failure scenario by having a solid understanding of their industry and competition before starting a company. A company’s specific business model and infrastructure should be established long before products or services are offered to customers, and potential revenue streams should be realistically projected well in advance.
Misplaced marketing campaigns
These are two problems with the same name. Many times, business owners fail to prepare for the marketing needs of a company in terms of capital required, prospect reach, and accurate conversion-ratio projections. When companies underestimate the total cost of early marketing campaigns, it can be difficult to secure financing or redirect capital from other business departments to make up for the shortfall.
How to avoid this problem?
Business owners need to have realistic projections in terms of target audience reach and sales conversion ratios. Businesses that do not understand these aspects of sound marketing strategies are more likely to fail than companies that take the time to create and implement cost-effective, successful campaigns.
Because marketing is a crucial aspect of any early-stage business, it is necessary for companies to ensure that they have established realistic budgets for current and future marketing needs. Also, companies need to understand the totality of the market before they launch – the target audience, how they behave, how they view the business, their changing needs.
Lack of personal growth
Many entrepreneurs do not invest in themselves. They do not read nor research, neither do they attend seminars and workshops that can increase their knowledge base.
Personal development of your attitude and communication skills is a must. It is hard work and it takes discipline. You will have a hard time succeeding without protecting and working on your attitude. No one gets ahead in life without building themselves with new knowledge.
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