Want to Grow Your Business? Answer These 3 Questions
Business growth isn’t just about more customers or bigger profits — it’s about direction, clarity, and consistent action. Yet, many business owners chase growth without first understanding what they want to grow into, or what’s blocking them.
Before you add new offers, launch ads, or double your workload, step back and ask yourself three essential questions:
Where are you now?
Where do you want to be?
What’s in the way?
These questions seem simple, but they’re powerful. They create a roadmap — starting point, destination, and the obstacles in between. When answered honestly, they uncover the actions you need to take and the decisions you need to make.
Let’s break each one down.
1. Where Are You Now?
If you don’t know your starting point, it’s impossible to plan your next steps. This question is all about self-awareness and data. You can’t improve what you don’t understand.
Ask yourself:
How is your business performing financially?
Are you profitable? Growing? Stagnant?
How many leads, sales, or clients do you generate monthly?
Do you feel burned out or balanced?
What systems are working? What’s broken?
How do you spend your time — and is that time well spent?
Get Clear with Real Data
Many entrepreneurs operate off gut feelings. But “I think we’re doing okay” is not a business strategy. Pull real data:
Revenue vs. expenses
Client churn rate
Website or social media traffic
Conversion rates
Time spent on various tasks
This is your business dashboard — a snapshot of your current reality. You don’t need to be perfect or even proud of the numbers. But you do need to be honest.
Without clarity on where you are, every decision becomes a shot in the dark.
2. Where Do You Want to Be?
This is your vision — and every business owner needs one. Too many people say they want to “grow,” but what does that mean? Growth isn’t a destination. Growth is vague. You need specifics.
Ask yourself:
What does success look like in 1 year? In 5 years?
Do you want more revenue? Or more time freedom?
Do you want a bigger team? Or a more streamlined solo business?
Do you want to scale online? Open a new location? License your method?
Paint a Detailed Picture
Saying “I want to make $250K a year working 30 hours a week” is a clear goal. Saying “I want more clients” is not.
Be specific. Set measurable targets.
“I want 10 new clients this quarter.”
“I want to move from hourly billing to retainers.”
“I want to reduce admin work by 50% with automation.”
Think about your lifestyle goals, too. A business that burns you out is not a success — no matter how much it makes. Do you want to travel more, spend more time with family, or work fewer weekends? Those goals count.
This vision becomes your north star. Everything you do should move you closer to that point.
3. What’s In the Way?
Now that you know where you are and where you want to go, the next question is: What’s stopping you?
The answer might be:
Lack of time
Lack of money
Fear or self-doubt
Outdated systems
Low visibility or weak marketing
Trying to do everything yourself
This is your gap — the space between your current reality and your desired future.
Identifying the Real Bottleneck
It’s tempting to blame external factors: “The market is slow.” “My audience isn’t ready.” “I just need better leads.”
But often, the real obstacle is internal:
You avoid sales because you’re uncomfortable asking for money.
You don’t delegate because you think no one can do it like you.
You stay busy with admin tasks because you’re afraid to work on strategy.
Growth requires honesty. What patterns, habits, or blind spots are keeping you stuck?
Once you’ve named the obstacle, you can finally start solving it.
Putting It All Together
Let’s imagine you go through this process and come up with the following:
Where you are now: Making $60K/year, working 50+ hours a week, juggling too many roles, no clear marketing plan.
Where you want to be: Earning $120K/year, working 35 hours/week, focused on client work and strategy.
What’s in the way: No streamlined processes, not charging enough, lack of visibility online.
Now you know the path:
Raise your rates.
Implement a simple client onboarding system.
Build a marketing routine to increase visibility.
Hire a virtual assistant for admin work.
These aren’t random actions. They’re targeted moves to close the gap.
Clarity Creates Momentum
If your business feels stuck or chaotic, it’s likely not from a lack of hustle. You’re probably doing too much, not too little. The problem is direction.
These three questions — Where are you now? Where do you want to be? What’s in the way? — act like a GPS for your business. They help you stop guessing and start growing.
So block out some time this week. Grab a notebook or open a Google Doc. Answer these questions honestly.
Clarity is the first step. The next step is courage — to make the decisions your future self will thank you for.
Want help mapping your growth plan? Download my free Monthly Bookkeeping Checklist — it’s the first step to understanding your numbers and running a business with more confidence.