The Constant Expectation for Growth in Business: When “Doing Well” Isn’t Enough
I had strep throat and 102 degree fever in this photo and I was AT WORK.
The Automatic Question
Whenever people hear that a business is doing well, the next question is almost always about expansion.
If you sell out at markets → you should open a retail shop.
If you have one shop → you should open a second location.
If you have two → maybe it’s time to franchise.
Success is rarely allowed to sit quietly. The assumption is that if something works, the next step must always be more. And surely that’s what you want, right?
Right before opening week of the new shop in Newton, MA
More, more, more…
Having been at every level now, I’ve seen it happen. Family asks you about your business and what’s next. Customers ask you if you plan to have another storefront, or sell to the shop by their house, or get your tiny product in to a major grocery chain (almost impossible, trust me). Strangers ask what your next steps are. “Oh, this gluten free bakery, yes, I’ve heard about this.” Um, did you even buy anything, random person?
Nothing makes me happier than unsolicited advice. Just kidding. I’ll probably skewer you if you offer up your unsolicited opinion. It brings out the hate in me.
For a home baker:
If markets go well, people suggest opening a storefront. Been there, done that. It was fun for a few years.
For a retail bakery:
One shop isn’t enough, apparently two would be better. Been there, done that. A pandemic hit and ruined all the locations.
For larger businesses:
Investors and advisors push for constant expansion. OH? Been there done that. I give you control AND some say in my business? This should work out great. Eye rolls all around.
No matter the size of the business, someone is always suggesting the next step upward. Because you can’t just enjoy yourself, you have to be GROWING. If you aren’t GROWING, then why are you doing this?
Let’s face it, when I started this business, I just wanted a little shop. I wanted to have fun, and bake some stuff that people like, and serve an underserved community. But the pressure to grow was RELENTLESS. It came from investors, family, customers, and other business owners.
Imagine this times 50 items every day at a retail shop. Can each one be great?
The Reality Behind Growth
Growth sounds exciting, but it often means something very different behind the scenes.
Growth usually requires:
more staff
more rent or equipment
more risk
more hours managing instead of creating (this is the worst part)
In many cases, the business owner ends up doing less of the work they actually enjoy. And then they cry every night because they just wanted to make some cupcakes but now they are talking to architects/contractors/licensees about a new location. Maybe that was just me.
Every day is the hope that you get to do your favorite thing…. and every day, you sit at a computer, while employees do your favorite jobs, and you contemplate and plan for GROWTH. Blah.
Look, I’m a natural born leader who has high expectations for my business, but growth takes all the creativity away from a creative person. I started this creative outlet as a way to de-stress and it became the number one stressor in my life. Because I had to be growing or else I was trash.
My home bakery set up makes me really happy.
My New Alternative: Stability
I was always seeking stability, and the constant growth made it impossible. There was no stability in cash flow, employees, ingredients, or customer bases. Growth means ignoring your regulars and always seeking new customers, before realizing that your regulars are the backbone of the business.
A business that:
pays its bills
serves its customers well
supports the owner’s life
and continues year after year
…is already doing something valuable.
Not every business needs to become larger to be meaningful. And we all need to stop telling people they need to do more.
Sometimes the goal isn’t endless expansion. Sometimes the goal is simply doing good work consistently. Do those cupcakes taste the same every week? Are there less and less mistakes because there is less turnover in the business? Constant expansion and growth mean the owner cannot be there every second, and things start to suffer as a result.
Now, this absentee owner is definitely someone’s goal….someone who thinks all businesses make endless cash. Or someone who starts a business to “write off” their entire life. Get real. These Tik Tok “business owners” that tell you how to start a business so that you live a rich life are mostly con artist morons that prey on the weak. Doesn’t their life look dreamy? Of course it does, because it’s a fever dream.
If you want to be present in your business, if you want to do the work, if you want to be there for your community, then stop the growth craze and focus on what you love. I finally figured that out, after 13 years. Now, I’m in year 16 (WHAT!?) and the home bakery/farmer’s market set up is what has connected me to this food allergy community the most.
No growth for me anymore, I really like where I am.
