| Here are five major symptoms to be aware of as | | | | capacity to master of all the skills you require, and |
| you approach the second five years. | | | | the solution is to bring in somebody who can help. |
| 1. Loss of Passion. | | | | But your ego doesn't allow you to admit that you're |
| You feel as though you are trapped on a | | | | out of your depth. Temptation is to put the foot on |
| never-ending grind of work, work, and work and | | | | the brakes and hold the business to within your |
| after going through the same old routine for five | | | | competencies. And hold the reins even more tightly in |
| years, the passion has gone. While spending so much | | | | your fist. |
| time at the coalface, you forgot that your original | | | | 5. Lack of Adequate Capital. |
| objective was to climb over it. You and your business | | | | Like most small businesses you're running close to the |
| are like a ship without a rudder, going around in circles | | | | wire and financial resources are limited. This puts |
| and getting nowhere fast. Without the spark that | | | | pressure on introducing new technology, marketing |
| created the business, how can you light the fire? | | | | initiatives and better human resources to improve |
| 2. Lack of Focus. | | | | product or services. You are feeling the pressure of |
| At the start there was a dream and a goal and you | | | | lack of adequate capital but don't know what to do. |
| knew why you wanted to get it. Not only did the | | | | These are all symptoms. The core issue of all of this |
| goal draw you, it inspired you, your team and the | | | | is you are tired and lack energy. You are five years |
| clients. However, as an entrepreneur, you see | | | | or more older than when you started and not having |
| opportunity after opportunity and can get distracted | | | | had enough R & R. Burning the candle at both |
| from your core goal and if an owner loses focus, so | | | | ends, working on pure adrenaline and lack of mental |
| does his business. | | | | rest has caught up and you are close to burn out. |
| 3. Lack of New Ideas. | | | | Most businesses go down not because of bad |
| You instinctively know the gap between you and | | | | business but from the owner running out of energy. |
| your competitors has narrowed. They copy your | | | | Your body may get used to all these years of work, |
| product or service or as a result of improved | | | | work and more work. You could even be numb to |
| communication and technology, they are bringing in | | | | the subtle aches and pain, desensitized to your |
| innovative ways of improving what you are doing. | | | | internal alarm bells. It's like the frog in hot water. As |
| Your product is not new any more and you are in | | | | the water heats to boiling, he'll stay there because he |
| danger of losing your competitive advantage in the | | | | won't know the difference. Next thing the frog is |
| market place. Without fresh ideas, you are going to | | | | cooked and it's the same with business owners, who |
| be left behind. | | | | keep going for day-after-day. You might think you |
| 4. Lack of Skills. | | | | are strong but.... |
| With things succeeding, there are more people and a | | | | You may be able to relate to some of the above |
| bigger business to manage, your management skills | | | | symptoms. Be rest assured that all of these problems |
| are no longer adequate to take the business to the | | | | can be addressed with time. . Time to think, time to |
| next level. A lack of planning can affect productivity | | | | plan and time to re-ignite your passion and desire. |
| and profitability. You know that you don't have the | | | | |