Revive A Failing Business

If your small business is struggling to break even thanks to seemingly insurmountable issues, you might think your only choice is to close the doors and simply walk away. But there are a number of other options you can do first to try and revive your business before shutting down for good. At least by trying the 7 options below you’ll know you did everything you could to save it.

Identify the cause

When your business is in trouble, the first thing you must do is find out what the main cause is. Start by getting some facts and looking objectively at your business for the core reason why your business is failing, so you can then start focusing on how to fix the problem. When you’re busy running the business, it’s easy to miss the little problems that eventually become big issues. Once you have located the root of the problem, it will give you an idea of what you need to fix.

Manage cash flow

Without cash consistently coming in, no business would be able to pay their expenses, so eventually, they would have no choice but to close. So it’s extremely important you’re your cash flow is managed as effectively and efficiently as possible. This includes paying bills and sending invoices on time, accepting advance payments, and chasing customers who are behind on their payments.

Cut unnecessary costs

Ensuring the overall costs of running your business are sustainable is vital to maintain long-term growth. If your business is struggling to stay afloat, one of the most important things you can do is determine your business’s viability. By comparing your incoming and outgoing finances, you may be able to find a number of ways to reduce your expenses, which is also a smart way to find the time you need in order to turn things around.

Streamline the business

Many entrepreneurs fail to understand the real strengths of their business. Because of this, they often decide to diversify too broadly which not only increases the overall business costs, it also reduces the output of their core function. To give businesses the highest possible chance of success when times are tough, it’s essential to streamline operations and concentrate on primary sources of income.

Also read Common Risk of Loss that Startups Encounter at Various Stages of Investment

Pivot your business

While pivoting or restructuring your business sounds a lot simpler than it is, it could mean the difference between surviving and failing. Basically, you need to have an in-depth analysis of your business in order to see if there are any ways you could drastically change the products or services you provide. Some may look at changing their entire business model, whereas others may look at changing their target demographic.

Take more risks

During times of crisis, many business owners think their best option for riding out the storm would be to play it safe and stick with what they know. But in reality, making the decision to take more bold risks might be what saves their dying business. Because when business is looking so bleak it may be nearing its end, there’s not much left to lose. So may as well shoot your shot by trying something risky than being cautious and failing anyway.

Don’t quit

Just because your company isn’t doing as well as it has in the past, doesn’t always mean it’s time to quit trying. There will always be highs and lows in any business, but there are also many different ways you may be able to push through and overcome these obstacles.

Remember most entrepreneurs have usually failed many times in business before they eventually found their successful venture. And someone has most likely faced similar problems as you in the past and found a way through, so you can probably learn something from their experiences. You only need to be successful once.

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Written By Luke Fitzpatrick

Luke Fitzpatrick has been published in Forbes, Yahoo! News and Influencive. He is also a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney, lecturing in Cross-Cultural Management and the Pre-MBA Program. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.