How to Grow a Business: 13 Tips & Strategies from Experts for Small Business Week

According to 2024 data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one in five new businesses (20.4%) fail within a year. Almost half (49.4%) fail within the first five years. 

But, imagine a world in which those failed businesses weren’t going it alone—where they had the help they needed to crunch through business plans, solve problems, strengthen their leadership, and stay ahead of an evolving market.

The good news? We all live in that world. From articles and podcasts to videos and free lectures, the internet is chock-full of great information—and qualified experts ready to lend a hand.

Below you’ll find 13 actionable, field-tested tips for Small Business Week, including hard-won wisdom from 7 experts on how to beat the odds.

1. Pick one thing to scale

Whether you’re a small business owner or freelancer, running your own business as a self-employed individual is a lot to shoulder. It isn’t just the work; it’s the responsibility—the pressure of knowing how much is riding on every decision, and, at the same time, not knowing how things are going to turn out.

The key is not to try to do everything. People will tell you that you have to do a million different things, from social media to networking, but there’s only so much of you to go around. So, play to your strengths. Get some traction in one direction before you start on something else.

From Curtis Luke, Founder, Niche-Marc Consulting, LLC:

“Most people think building a business is about big ideas. What I’ve come to realize is that success isn’t about hype; it’s about pushing through the quiet, gritty days.

One thing I had to learn — and what I now teach — is to stop trying to scale everything at the same time.

You should pick one thing you do better than anyone, and go all in.

Keep it simple.

Stay stubborn about your mission.

Success isn’t sexy when you’re living it day to day — it’s discipline, sacrifice, and relentless service.

I coach entrepreneurs through the messy middle — the doubts, the pivots, the pressure — to help them build businesses that don’t just survive, but lead.

You don’t need more noise.

You need more focus.”

2. Clarify your ideal client and core promise

Get crystal-clear on your best clients. Who are they, and what is it about them that makes them such a good fit? With this in mind, draft one sentence that captures your value proposition: who you help, the specific problem you address, and the outcome you deliver. 

When every decision flows from that statement — from your pricing to your logo — your marketing gains instant focus and your offers resonate more deeply.

3. Use AI to amplify your story

Pick one repetitive task (e.g. e-mails, social media posts, or reel scripts) and experiment with AI, figuring out the best ways to use it in coming up with new ideas for your specific business. Measure the time you win back, and reinvest it in higher-value conversations with customers.

From Neal Schaffer, Fractional CMO and author of Digital Threads: The Small Business and Entrepreneur Playbook for Digital First Marketing:

“My best advice for small businesses leveraging AI is to keep things simple yet strategic. AI tools like ChatGPT can dramatically boost your DIY digital marketing, helping you create smarter content, engage better on social media, and save precious time. But don’t get lost chasing tech trends; focus on using AI to amplify your unique story and connect deeply with your audience. Remember, digital marketing success comes from authenticity, consistency, and human connections—let AI enhance your creativity, not replace it.”

4. Focus on razor-sharp, measurable goals

Choose one or two numbers that matter deeply to your business and track them regularly, whether that’s every month, every week, or even every day. Maybe it’s your monthly revenue, average engagement rate, or qualified leads per week.

Whatever you choose, set up a system that lets you enter that data and track it over time. When you can see the scoreboard clearly, priorities snap into focus, and your progress compounds.

5. Build and follow a repeatable sales process

Selling isn’t magic; it’s a series of predictable, learnable steps that convert potential interest into actual revenue. Map out the sequence to see where you’re doing well and where you want to improve. Tighten any leaks, rehearse your close, and watch your revenue grow.

From Jeff Goldberg, Head Coach and Lead Trainer at Jeff Goldberg & Associates:

“If you’re going to build a business, there’s one thing to keep in mind: The best product/service is useless unless you can sell it. Want your biz to beat the odds? Learn how to sell.

The good news is that sales isn’t rocket science. You just need a process:

1. Establish rapport
2. Ask questions
3. Confirm the answers
4. Present your solution
5. Negotiate (if needed)
6. Close (ask for the business)

Sales is a conversation, or series of conversations, leading to help the other person CHOOSE to do business with you.”

6. Package up at least one service

Is there something you do for your customers fairly often? Something they all seem to appreciate? Turn it into a clearly defined package, including what you’ll do, how long it will take, and how much it costs. Pre-defined services tend to sell more easily, helping you get more new customers in the door. 

If the service is something clients need regularly, like every week or every month, that can form a solid foundation of dependable, repeatable business.

7. Show up as a strategic partner, not “just a freelancer”

Clients keep experts who plug into the bigger picture, providing what they need without requiring a lot of their time or attention. Expand your skills and try to frame your proposals around measurable results rather than tasks. When you get paid by the hour, your revenue is limited by the hours in a day. When you get paid for results, you won’t face that bottleneck.

From Christine Gomolka, Conversion Copywriter, Content Creator & Brand Messaging Strategist for Service-Based Businesses:

“If you want to freelance long-term, especially as a copywriter, you’ve got to evolve with the industry. Two things I always teach my students:

1. Don’t just be “a writer.” Expand your skills and learn how to contribute to the bigger picture: SEO, content strategy, web design, or even video. The more value you bring, the harder you are to replace.
2. Shift your positioning. Clients don’t hire you for words. They hire you for results. Speak the language of conversions, leads, and revenue.

When you show up as a strategic partner in their growth, not just a freelancer, you’ll stay booked and in demand.”

8. Pilot, measure, iterate

Instead of betting the farm on a big launch, run micro-experiments that don’t require a high investment in time or money to see how well they work: a one-hour webinar, a paid discovery session, a low-commitment project. 

Track engagement and profit on each test so you can double down on what works and either tweak or abandon what doesn’t. Momentum comes from a steady drumbeat of small, validated wins.

9. Align passion with market demand

Love for your craft can sustain you through the long days and late nights of running your own business — but it will only put food on the table if you’re solving a genuine problem for paying customers. Talk to potential clients and let their feedback shape your offer until you find that magic opportunity where your passion provides the value they need.

From Phil Masiello, CEO CrunchGrowth Revenue Acceleration Agency:

“After interviewing hundreds of entrepreneurs on my show and building four brands myself, here’s my best advice: Build something you’re truly passionate about. Passion is what will carry you through the inevitable rough patches. But passion alone isn’t enough. You also need to find the customers who want what you’re creating. That means getting out of your own head and into their world. Listen. Learn. Adapt. The businesses that beat the odds aren’t always the flashiest. They’re the ones that solve real problems for real people and stay relentlessly focused on delivering value. Build for them, and you’ll build something that lasts.”

10. Create a referral flywheel

Customer recommendations are the cheapest, most effective kind of marketing for solo service firms. Make it effortless for your clients to refer you to the people who trust them: deliver great experiences, ask for a referral or LinkedIn recommendation when they’re thrilled with a project you just delivered, and show your appreciation with handwritten thank-yous or small gifts. 

When clients refer you to their friends and colleagues, those new customers will trust you as much as the people you’ve been working with for years.

11. Treat profit—and retirement—as non-negotiable

Earmark percentages of every dollar you make for take-home pay, taxes, and future you. Automate your salary or distributions, transfers to a business savings account for taxes, and contributions to a retirement plan before allocating the rest to expenses.

From Laura D. Adams, author of Money-Smart Solopreneur, host of the Money Girl Podcast, and founder of The Money Stack newsletter:

“Building a successful business starts with understanding your goals—like reaching a certain profit margin, sustaining a desired lifestyle, or creating a global brand—because every entrepreneur is unique. 

If you’re one of about 82% of small businesses with no employees, getting expert guidance and help can be the ticket to growing your venture. For instance, pros like certified tax professionals, web designers, attorneys, insurance brokers, and marketing specialists can fill gaps in your skills, protect your liability, help you save money, or take responsibility for tasks you don’t enjoy. 

Solopreneurs should also be proactive in planning for retirement by opening and contributing to a tax-advantaged account, like a solo 401(k) or SEP-IRA. Regularly funding a retirement account is the secret to building wealth while growing your business.”

12. Get help from contractors

No business owner is an island. Sometimes, you’ll need help from someone who brings different skills to the table, or you’ll just need a helping hand to get through the busy season. But you don’t need to hire full-time staff to get the help you need, especially when you only need a hand here and there.

The most important thing to remember if you’re bringing on contractors to handle client demand is to document your expectations for any tasks you delegate. Include deliverables and deadlines, rules about communication, software they need to use, and so on. A lightweight library that documents your standard operating procedures will help new contractors ramp up quickly and keep quality consistent even when workloads spike.

13. Build a marketing foundation, one step at a time

You can’t do everything at once, but, step by step, even a solo freelancer can build a marketing engine that brings in new business on a regular basis. Keep getting out there and trying new things. Some will work, and some won’t. So test each idea in a small way. Don’t worry about getting it perfect. Design your experiments for learning, and the success will come naturally. 

From Bryon McCartney, CEO & Co-Founder at Archmark:

“My best advice for building a business that can beat the odds is to treat your firm’s marketing like you would a building: start with a solid foundation, draft a clear blueprint, and schedule disciplined maintenance. Focus on attracting ideal clients by defining a niche, showcasing your strengths through high‑value content, and establishing authority with targeted thought leadership. Invest in predictable lead channels—SEO, email nurture, referral partnerships—to keep cash flowing. Measure your results, refine your strategy, and iterate relentlessly; resilient growth comes from consistent, data‑driven effort, not from trying to perfect everything before putting it out in the wild. Progress over perfection, always.”

Want even more help beating the odds?

Start by following the experts in this post. They’re all on LinkedIn, offering great advice for small business owners week in and week out.

Then, let us help you manage your finances.

When you’re self-employed, you need every hour you can get to focus on client deadlines and growing your business. The last thing you want is a lot of admin work. But most small business owners manage their own finances, at least for a while, and that gets complicated. You need to keep business and personal accounts separate for taxes, but your cash needs to flow back and forth, too. 

Quicken Business & Personal can give you a leg up, letting you track and manage your finances in one place with the perfect separation you need — at a price that makes sense for a small, growing business. It even comes with free, live support when you need a hand.