Is it time to make changes to your business?

Do you have a business not going in the positive way you expected? Have you started believing making small twists or big changes to your business makes it look more promising? I consider a blessing to have the courage to recognize change needs to happen in your business, your projects or in life. I picked this quote because it reminds me that change is not only needed, but a way to embrace perfection.

But what are some of the signs to look for in order to make a change?

You picked a niche you are not comfortable with

You knew it from the very beginning. You feel much more comfortable with a niche you are expert in, but you decided for one reason or another to go for something else. Remember that we all want to deal with experts. Experts are made after lots of work, experience and many problems solved so it doesn’t happen from night to day.  Every day in your business, you should feel you are at the right place at the right time, and if it isn’t you might have not identified your niche and there is some self-discovery to be done. You are on your way to happiness, so try a little harder.

Numbers don’t lie

When you look at numbers, they tell the story. You are probably looking at the sales and expenses numbers every day to see how the business is behaving, and even better if you are comparing them to the projections you made in the business plan. Remember a business exists to be profitable unless you don’t need the money at all. Go to your numbers again and understand what is working for you and what you are missing. When you really enjoy what you do, money just follows. The business has to serve a noble purpose by making people lives better, and you can only do that by performing activities you absolutely love. Again, it is about happiness so keep trying.

You feel as if you are in a vicious circle

You probably have taken all the right steps toward building a successful business. Maybe you followed good advice and you are applying it accordingly but for some reason it is just not working. You have your business plan, your steps are clear, you worked on your cash flow, have hired the right people, have a good product, you dedicate good time to network but it is simply not selling. Give yourself some months, but if after a year or so it is still not working, chances are you might be better off exploring other opportunities and switching gears. You can reuse many of the things you have invested in already, but some will have to definitely go and it will be for the best. Again, if you are doing what you know best, and you enjoy what you do, you cannot feel in a vicious circle, so this might be a sign you are in for a change.

The only way to understand when change needs to happen is making a commitment and setting deadlines to yourself and face reality when the time comes. Depending on the amount of your investment, changing direction in your business might not be easy or happen immediately but you need to be aware that it can happen and you will have to react quickly. Evaluating and thinking thoroughly on how things are going, sharing with an advisor, an accountant or a friend should be a good regular practice. Nobody wants to react when there is nothing left to rescue. Remember you were way more flexible than many other people by quitting your job and starting your new adventure. Keep going as you are in your way to be perfect.