The pace hasn’t quite returned. The phone is quieter.

There’s a bit of mental space again, often for the first time in a long while.

And for many owners, this is when a familiar thought starts to surface:

“This feels like the year I need to make more sense of the business.”

Not in a dramatic way. Not because something is broken. But because carrying things as they are feels heavier than it should.

Growth is usually part of that thinking.
More customers.
More revenue.
More momentum.

But for many businesses, growth is also the point where things quietly start to strain: -Margins thin out. -Cash feels tighter. -Decisions feel riskier. -

And the owner ends up working more, not less.
Which raises a more important question than “How do I grow?”

Can the business actually afford to grow?

Not financially in theory — structurally in reality. Because growth doesn’t fix weaknesses.
It amplifies them.

If profit isn’t clear, growth magnifies pressure. If decisions rely on one person, growth increases dependence.
If the numbers are fuzzy, growth turns guesswork into risk. This is where many owners get stuck. They feel the need to move forward, but they’re not confident or sometimes even aware that the foundations are strong enough to support it.
The strongest businesses we see don’t rush this stage. They slow down just enough to regain control first.

They ask quieter questions:
-Where is our profit really coming from?
-What breaks if volume increases?
-What decisions we have to make feel permanent and why?
-What would make growth feel safer, not scarier?

When those answers become clear, growth stops feeling like a gamble. It becomes a lever, one you can pull deliberately. That kind of clarity doesn’t come from motivation or tactics. It comes from stepping back a bit, seeing the whole system, and making growth a choice, not a reaction.

This is a point best taken one step at a time where clarity matters most.

P.S. We see this question most often at this time of year when the urgency drops just enough for owners to think properly again. If that’s where you are right now, you’re not behind. You’re right on time.

Rob Dorey BSP Advisor and Director