Why Most Businesses Fail to Grow (and How to Fix It)

By Gaetan Portaels

For my first article, I wanted to break away from the traditional consultant theories and overused business clichés. Instead, I wanted to share a selection of real, actionable hacks and proven strategies that drive growth in today’s business world—GUARANTEED.

Topics I’m covering in this article:

Getting REAL Customer Feedback (and “How To”);
The Art of Channel-Specific Marketing;
Flip Your Sales Script for Instant Results;
Build Your PERSONAL Brand;
Scale Smarter by CUTTING, Not Just Adding;
How to LEARN from Others’ FAILURES;
Create a Cost-Effective REFERRAL Growth Engine;
Authenticity: Your Secret Weapon?
Using AI to Be MORE HUMAN (or as a Super Detective);
And Much More!

FOREWORD:

This article is NOT written by AI—most of the raw ideas and concepts are “from human origin.” AI has simply been used to support and enhance the flow.
In today’s highly competitive business landscape, most companies struggle to grow—not from a lack of potential, but because they’re stuck in outdated mindsets and corporate BS that leads to nowhere.
Now, is there MORE to growth than just this article? Sure, this is barely scratching the surface, but I believe it’s already a solid start.
Growth is simple—but it’s not easy.

Let’s get to it…

At some point, Linkedin’s algorithm started nudging me to become a contributor to some “growth strategies” articles—after a while and many reminders, I started thinking, “Why Not?”

FIRST LESSON HERE: 

LinkedIn KEPT nudging me, and eventually, I gave in—persistence pays off. We all know that repetition works, yet very few people STICK with it. Consistent follow-ups show dedication, cut through the noise, and create more genuine relationships.

Whether you’re a business owner, consultant, salesperson, or looking for funding, your outreach will, more than often, not catch people at the right time. HOWEVER, giving up too soon GUARANTEES you will miss the moment when they are finally ready to engage.

Back to writing contributions—as soon as I wrote my first ones, I got caught in the game and churned out quite a few pieces.

Now, if there is one thing you should know about me: I’m not a big fan of corporate BS. I believe the world has gotten to a point where everyone claims to be “authentic,” yet very few people and organizations actually are.

So, I wrote my contributions in my own voice: honest, bold, and authentic—with a genuine intention to HELP others (and have fun while doing so).

Those “raw ideas” eventually got me in the top 2% of voices on the “Growth Strategies” topic (I even got a shiny profile badge to go along with it). Cool, but that’s not the point.

The point is, talking to a lot of business owners, it is clear that most small and medium-sized businesses are desperate for real talk about growth—stuff that actually works, not the fluffy, consulting-type, polished nonsense often recycled and sold as “best practices.” They want authenticity, not a sales pitch.

With that context in mind, I thought it might be helpful for some if I compiled my contributions on various “growth strategies” topics into a no-BS article that dives into why most businesses fail to grow—and how to actually turn things around with a few practical hacks and tactics that are GUARANTEED to work in today’s world.

And even if it doesn’t end up being useful to anyone else, I’ve truly enjoyed the process—and that alone makes it worthwile.

1. Growing Customer-First: They’re Your North Star.

Let’s start with the obvious: your customers ARE your business.

You might be thinking, “tell me something I don’t know,” right? Yet… even though everyone knows this, many businesses completely miss the mark here. They get too caught up in chasing trends, throwing money at marketing tricks, or rushing out shiny new products or features (that, more often than not, nobody really asked for).

Here’s the harsh truth: If you’re not obsessed with your customers, you’re done—maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually, you will be.

Here’s where most businesses get it wrong: they treat market research like a box to check. They do it once, pat themselves on the back, and move on.

To maintain growth, you need to be talking to your customers constantly. Keep your finger on their pulse, because their needs and preferences are changing all the time. What worked six months ago may no longer work today.

MARKET RESEARCH NEVER STOPS—weave it into every aspect of your operations and use every opportunity to learn:

Customers—What do they love? Is missing? Are their biggest frustrations?
Ex-customers—They’ve already walked away, and they’ll tell you exactly why (and for what substitute) without any sugar-coating. Their feedback can be priceless in understanding your shortcomings and making winning improvements. Plus, by doing what few other businesses do, you might even win them back.
Sales conversations—Ask: Why did they buy? Why not? Every “yes” or “no” is a lesson.
Suppliers—What are they hearing? Thinking? Fearing? What’s new? What does their 5-year plan look like? Why?
Team members, at ALL levels—What trends are they spotting? Ideas for improvement? Reward them to surface critical market information and (radical) new ideas.

Customer loyalty isn’t a gift you’re given—it’s a by-product of making people feel understood and valued.

In my experience, if you can describe someone’s problem BETTER than they can, they will naturally assume you have the solution.

2. Sales & Marketing: Adapt Content, Flip Scripts, Personal Branding—long section ahead.

Let’s talk about what I believe is an overhyped concept: consistency.

Sure, keeping your core brand message clear is important. But here’s where most businesses lose their way—they copy and paste the same content across all channels. Big mistake.

You’re NOT “gaining share of voice”—or “mind,” or whatever fancy term consultants like to use these days. Instead, you’re just becoming background noise.

Every platform (or "channel") has its very own LANGUAGE, rhythm, expectations, winning formats, mindsets, and target audience.

But this goes beyond just “target audience”—it’s about “target mindset.”

The same video posted on LinkedIn and Instagram can get very different results, even if the SAME person watches it on both platforms.

Why? Because we’re in completely different mindsets when scrolling through Instagram vs LinkedIn, or reading our work emails vs our personal ones.

Depending on the platform, YOU are “contextually different.” In other words, you’re looking for and expecting different things, operating in completely different mindsets.

Just like you act and behave differently at work than on a trip with your best friends—it’s still YOU, but a different version of you.

That’s why content needs to be contextualized for each channel—for each mindset.

Contextualizing, or tailoring, is not about “changing your brand”—it’s about speaking the language of each platform or channel.

The where, when and how people consume content matters. Your story, your copy, and those critical first seconds all need to ADAPT.

“But, isn’t that a lot of work?” you may think.

Here’s the secret: It’s better to nail 2 or 3 key channels than spread yourself too thin across all of them. The goal isn’t to be everywhere; it’s to be where your customers are—both in terms of platform and mindset—and to do it better than anyone else. Relevance, not noise.

That covers CONSISTENCY and channel strategy (marketing)—now, let’s dive into SALES.

If I could offer just ONE piece of advice for driving IMMEDIATE sales growth without changing anything to your offer or process, it would be this: go against conventions, be different, be unique.

Okay, but HOW? I know this strategy will sound counterintuitive, but here it is:

Everyone’s out here trying to “sell the positives,” but people are wired to wait for the “but” to drop. They know it’s coming. And if it doesn’t—because you’re only serving them the fairytale—they’ll make it up themselves, and their scepticism will go through the roof.

So, FLIP THE SCRIPT: Lead with the negatives. own them. THEN, drop the BUT.

Let me give you an example:

[Negatives] “Our program is very long, it’s complicated and it’s expensive.”
[Positives] “BUT, it works better than anything else you have ever tried.”

The second part [positives] becomes MAGNIFIED because of the “damaging admissions” that the “BUT” amplified.

That kind of honesty is refreshing. It builds trust because you’re not trying to sell them a dream. You’re giving it to them straight.

This is a pattern interrupt—it’s unexpected, breaks typical habits, and makes the positives hit even harder.

Now, the third piece of advice under “sales & marketing”—where they intersect: PERSONAL BRANDING.

I’m NOT talking about the company’s brand, but the business owner‘s brand.

Why? Because I genuinely believe the biggest trend and opportunity for the next 5-10 years is the “Rise of the Individual,” and it’s already reshaping how business gets done!

What do I mean? I mean that businesses led by owners with a strong, authentic PERSONAL BRAND will dominate the market. We’re entering a time and age in which personal brand IS business.

Take the Kardashians—love them or hate them, it’s hard to deny they’ve MASTERED the science of personal branding.

To be even more specific: Kylie Jenner (Kardashian). At just 22, she became the youngest self-made BILLIONAIRE. Last year, Kylie Cosmetics pulled $380 million in sales. To put that into perspective, it took giants like L’Oréal and Maybeline 50 years to reach numbers like that!

Not into the Kardashians?

Fine, there are many other examples of individuals who didn’t just build businesses—but became the business:

Elon Musk—again, love him or hate him, the man is the brand. The successes of Tesla, SpaceX and his other ventures is directly correlated to his bold, risk-taking personality. He moves markets with a single tweet, and when people invest in Tesla, they’re basically betting on Musk’s vision and ability to deliver on it. He’s authentic, and that’s the point.
MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson)—the biggest YouTuber on the planet, built a BILLION-dollar empire by doing things HIS way: large-scale, high-budget videos loaded with insane challenges, massive giveaways and crazy philanthropy. He’s become an ICON of Gen Z’s “creator economy,” turning personal branding into real-world businesses (MrBeast Burger, Feastables), partnerships (Microsoft, Electronic Arts, etc.), and is absolutely killing it with his merch!
Gary Vaynerchuk (aka GaryVee)—the ultimate example of how a strong personal brand can fuel a multi-million-dollar business. He built his name on raw authenticity, pure energy, and giving more value than he takes. Whether it’s his social media, books (his latest is a must-read for anyone looking to build a brand), or speeches, he’s built an empire just by being unapologetically himself—and people buy into that.
LeBron James—more than just a basketball player, he’s built himself into a full-fledged brand. People aren’t just “buying shoes”—they’re buying into LeBron as a cultural phenomenon. But it doesn’t stop there: he has expanded his personal brand into various businesses, from a media company (SpringHill) to part-ownership of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club (Fenway Sports Group), an athlete empowerment brand (Uninterrupted), a nutrition company (Ladder), and has stakes in several other businesses.

Never forget, tomorrow belongs to Gen Z and Alpha. These generations grow/grew up watching INFLUENCERS (across socials) monetize their personalities.

They don’t really care about the “corporate image” and all the unauthentic BS—they care about the people behind it. And for one of the first times in history, OLDER generations are actually ADOPTING the trends, behaviours, and culture set by the younger one.

The “TikTokization” of the economy is real. It is already transforming business, and it’s coming for the rest. If you’re not building YOU™—your story, your brand—especially as a small or medium-sized business owner, you are about to get left behind.

Now that I’ve given you the loooong advocacy speech on personal branding, let me tackle a question I get a lot: “Why focus on the owner, not the team?” Here’s why:

If individuals on your team build strong personal brands—which sounds great in theory—be prepared to give them MORE: money, decision-making power, and career growth. And you absolutely SHOULD, because they’ll bring incredible value to your business. But here is one of the catches: since that kind of “business generation power” is in high demand, their skills will get noticed and make them prime targets for competitors and companies hunting for top talent.
That said, as obvious as it seems that you should reward them—and while everyone agrees in theory—the reality is that very few business owners are truly ready to walk that path to the level that will be expected. Why? Because they’ll feel PRESSURED to do so and get uncomfortable with the idea of “caving in” and losing control.
Now, let’s address the BIGGEST RISK of all: as a business owner, it’s dangerous to OUTSOURCE the core of your business’ future to anyone, even your team. They can support, but they should never be the driving force.

I know, controversial stuff in this day and age.

3. Scaling Product Development, Processes & Resources: Consider “Subtraction”, Not “Addition”.

Before we dive into this section, let me clarify: what I’m about to say won’t apply to every business in the exact way I describe it. Some businesses are high-volume, low-margin, running on big inventories and product lines. Others are commodity-based, while some provide very specific or standardized services (like tax preparation or window cleaning), or operate in niche markets.

Now, back to the topic:

When it comes to scaling, most businesses’ natural instinct is to ADD—more features, more people, more dev, more processes.

While that may be the right move in some cases, the reality for most is that growth isn’t about adding more; it’s about getting rid of the surplus. Because, the truth is, your product or service is likely overloaded with stuff no one really cares about or values.

So, what is the real game-changer? Be ruthless: cut 20% of your features every semester (or whatever percentage and timeframe works best for your business).

OKAY, I know I said that this part focuses on “scalable product development,” but:

The PRINCIPLE I’m sharing here can be applied to just about anything—whether it’s processes, resources, or even for those high-volume, low-margin businesses. For example, when it comes to the latter, you could probably remove 10% of your worst-performing stock each year without breaking a sweat. The key is to think differently and innovate.

Doing this will FORCE YOU to focus on what truly moves the needle and free up resources, all while keeping your team agile, focused, and driven.

It’s not an easy path to walk, but it’s the FASTEST way to grow while avoiding unnecessary complexity.

There is a caveat to this: for it to work, you need to be close to your customers—find ways to engage with them regularly, set-up frictionless systems to gather continuous feedback, and truly listen to their needs.

Then, there is the question of GROWTH AUDITS: “To scale and be agile, we need to audit the business.” That’s usually when the consultants are brought in—or when the owner or some executives decide their gut feeling and experience should be the supreme guides.

It then almost always leads to a prescription of "reports," "dashboards," "KPIs," "OKRs," and "spreadsheets" (and let’s not forget AI! Did I mention AI?).

While these tools are valuable, the problems appear when these metrics are used to dictate decision-making rather than simply inform it.

Another common problem I hear—a lot—from business owners is when they realize “Okay, I can see something is wrong, I have all the data to make that clear—but now what? What do I actually need to do to fix this?” Data and metrics are great at surfacing problems, but they rarely deliver solutions.

So, what should you do instead? (or on top of)

Use the SEE THROUGH method, which is basically “seeing through the eyes of another person,” experiencing the world from their perspective.

INTERNAL—Conduct your audit in the trenches. Shadow your front-line staff, customer service reps, sales and marketing teams. Their daily life probably holds “growth secrets” that your dashboards will miss.
ACTUAL CUSTOMERS—Forget the endless, useless surveys. Get out there and meet your customers where they actually hang out—bars, restaurants, festivals, gyms, wherever. Get real with them. Pay attention to the ones who don’t “fit in”; they’ll often show you what you’re missing faster than the “average” customers.
PLAY CUSTOMER—Get your hands dirty for a week: use your product or service, navigate your sales funnel, deal with your support, etc. Then, get your team out of their bubble and out of the office: make them live like different types of customers for a week; you’ll often see them break old ideas and return with fresh perspectives. By doing so, you’ll uncover friction points and opportunities that never show up in reports.
BRING IN OUTSIDERS—Not consultants, but real people from different industries, backgrounds, maybe even your target customer’s grandparents (be creative!). Their fresh pair of eyes may very well uncover blind spots you’ve become used to.

4. Technology & Automation: AI as a Means, Not an End.

AI and automation are everywhere, and they’re undeniably powerful.

It is also my core belief that AI will NOT "replace all businesses," but those who adopt it succesfully will, undoubtedly, replace those who do not.

Let me sidetrack for one paragraph—that belief is also why I founded DarwinX AI, a company dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses identify their unique challenges and opportunities, as well as showing them how AI and automation can make them faster, stronger and more successful.

That being said, let’s talk about the TWO MAJOR PITFALLS most businesses often fall into, which seriously hurts their growth:

Using AI just for the sake of it: The unspoken focus becomes “how can we be trendy?” or “how can we play with AI?”—regardless of the real benefits. This often leads companies to overlook the fundamental question: “which problems do actually REQUIRE solutions?” This is a common pitfall for big organziations.
Dismissing AI as hype (or evil): This is a dangerous gamble. I hate to break it to some, but the AI train has left the station and is never coming back. You can deny it or hate it, but those who don’t adapt and adopt WILL be left behind. This is a common pitfall for small and medium-sized businesses.

AI isn’t a “strategy” or an end in itself—it’s a powerful tool to help you get there.

Now, beyond the obvious benefits of making your teams more productive, your business faster, and more profitable, there are other benefits to Artificial Intelligence.

Use AI as your sparring partner or super private detective. Let it challenge your assumptions, find inefficiencies, and uncover those blind spots you’re often too close to see.

Maybe your “best processes” are actually the ones wasting time? Maybe your “top product” is actually eating your margins? What about your “most efficient team,” could it be the one causing bottlenecks? Efficiency doesn’t always equal effectiveness—AI can help you find out.

And here’s where things get interesting—AI should make your business more human. Deepen relationships, not replace them. Create better, more personalized customer experiences, not just faster ones.

Hack: sometimes a little delay in delivery can build more trust and credibility than an instant one—it’s all about setting the right expectations.

5. Smart Growth: Competitive Analysis, Risk Management, and Referrals

There’s no such thing as “growth without risk.” But that doesn’t mean you have to make all the mistakes yourself. Be smart enough to learn from others’ failures.

While everyone is busy copying the latest "success stories," there is an undertapped GOLDMINE in analyzing your (ex-)competitors' failures—or from otherwise succesful businesses in general.

Failed startups, bad pivots, abandoned ideas—understand WHY they failed. Do some desk research, talk to former employees, partners, or suppliers, survey their (ex-)customers, etc.

Learn from the mistakes that have already been made on someone else’s cash. This is, by all standards, one of the smartest ways to uncover “what NOT to do” and spot the hidden pitfalls without falling into them.

BONUS: While digging through the “graveryard of failures,” you might just strike gold in another form—the GOOD IDEAS, the ones that never took off simply because they were poorly executed.

Now, while we’re on the topic of “smart growth,” let me sidetrack once again and talk about REFERRALS.

Anyone in business knows the reality—growth, especially fast growth, burns cash. That is why it’s critical to bring those costs down and keep them under control.

One of the easiest, most effective ways to do that?

Build a strong referral-based growth strategy (yes, strategy!). One that isn’t just a "quick ask" here and there but a deliberate, repeatable process that drives growth.

HOW?

SYSTEMIZE consistent and continuous referral-gathering from day one (or start right now), and you’ll have a cost-effective growth engine up and running in no time.

WHEN?

Ask right after the sale: “Who else do you know might benefit from this?” That’s when their BELIEF in your product or service is at its highest! This works both ONLINE and OFFLINE.
Don’t just ask—stimulate: Give extra service or value in exchange for referrals. Offer additional rewards for successful ones.
Didn’t get a referral right after the sale? Ask again once they’ve experienced the benefits of your product or service. And don’t be random about it—like I said three paragraphs ago, systemize it! Have reminders in place, not just one, but as many as needed.
Getting reviews and testimonials— whether it’s on Trustpilot, Google, Facebook, or customer video testimonials for your website and sales presentations—do you have a REAL strategy for that? I’m not talking about sending out ONE generic follow-up email. I’m talking about a thought-out plan and outlined process to consistently pull in those “five-star reviews.”

BONUS TIP: When a customer asks for a discount, offer a referral deal instead—make it a win-win.

Let’s BOTTOM LINE this article.

Most businesses fail to grow because they’re too caught up in doing what everyone else is doing. They focus on complexity, add more to their plates, and follow trends (and consultants) without really thinking for themselves.

Growth doesn’t happen by accident, and it sure as hell doesn’t happen by copying what everyone else is doing.

Real growth comes from doing the opposite—getting back to the basics. It’s about knowing your customers inside-out, “trimming the fat,” and using technology to amplify human connection.

It’s about becoming more AUTHENTIC again, staying curious and critical, questioning the obvious, and learning from every mistake—ideally, someone else’s.

As I wrote in the opener, “Growth is simple—but it’s not easy.” It requires the guts to strip things down to what really matters and a commitment to get real. That’s where the magic happens.

Thanks for reading! Any questions? Feel free to hit me up or check out my Family of Companies on DarwinX :-).

Friendly yours,

Gaetan Portaels

Original publication date — October 1, 2024 (HERE)

This article is a summary of my contributions to the LinkedIn community so far. Below is a list of the specific questions and articles I’ve contributed to, along with THE LINKS to my individual contributions on each topic:

What are some of the best practices for conducting a growth audit? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
What are the emerging trends and opportunities that you are excited about? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
[PART 1 OF 2] How do you use storytelling and emotional appeal to enhance your value proposition and positioning? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
[PART 2 OF 2] How do you use storytelling and emotional appeal to enhance your value proposition and positioning? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you create a unique value proposition that differentiates you from your competitors? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
What are the key steps to conduct a competitive analysis for your industry? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How can you effectively communicate brand messaging changes based on customer feedback to all stakeholders? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
You’re navigating global markets with diverse cultures. How can you maintain brand consistency across them? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you design effective and fair incentive schemes for your partners? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you conduct market research to identify underserved segments? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you balance consistency and creativity in your brand voice and tone across different channels? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you align your segmentation and targeting with your value proposition and positioning? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
What are the main sources of risk and uncertainty in pursuing a growth strategy? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you differentiate your brand from your competitors through customer loyalty? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How to balance licensing and innovation? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you test and refine your segmentation strategy over time? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you pivot or persevere based on your customer feedback and data? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
What are the best practices for SEO optimization in a competitive market? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you leverage social media and online reviews to boost your NPS? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
What are some best practices or tips for creating a growth strategy presentation or ppt? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you leverage AI and automation to optimize your distribution strategy and efficiency? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.
How do you scale your product development process and resources as your product grows? — CLICK HERE to read my contribution.

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WEBSITES

www.GaetanPortaels.com — for more of my content.
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www.DarwinX.eu — A Family of Companies that makes businesses faster, teams sharper, and profits higher. We cut the bullsh*t and get things done in today’s world. We are bold, disruptive, and so are our results.

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