Growing Pains: Why Scaling Feels Harder

Growing shouldn’t feel like a constant battle. Join us for a free working lunch to figure out what’s slowing your business down. You hired people, landed customers, and kept the doors open. So why do you feel busier, more stretched, and less in control than you did a year ago? Research from the 7 Stages of Growth™ framework points to a clear answer: a company with 8 employees operates completely differently from one with 25, and the habits that got you to 8 can cost you at 25. Small businesses hit predictable friction points at three specific headcount milestones: past 10, 19, and 34 employees. Owners who see these points coming can prepare for them effectively, rather than assuming the problem is their team, their market, or themselves. In this practical, 90-minute working lunch hosted by the Small Business Resource Center, growth advisor Kyle Spinks will guide you through the complete map of company growth. What We Will Cover • The 7 Stages Map: Understand what separates each stage of growth and why some transitions require doing more of the same while others demand letting go of old methods. • Focus on Stages 1–3: We will spend most of our time on Stages 1 through 3 (up to 34 employees) -- where many local small businesses sit -- and provide a first look at what comes next. • Hidden Operational Drivers: Learn how to spot problems that look like one thing on the surface but turn out to be rooted in something else underneath. • Hands-on Mapping: You will place your own company on the growth spectrum before you leave. Who Should Attend • Owners and founders of companies with roughly 5 to 34 employees • Business leaders who are growing and feeling the business getting harder to run • Owners who work harder each year for the same results • Leaders who want to prepare before the next growth stage arrives (Note: You do not need to be in a crisis to benefit -- owners at the start of a growth stretch get the most from this session.) What You Will Take Away • Your Stage Name: The exact name of your company’s current growth stage and what that stage specifically demands of you. • Upcoming Friction Points: The 2 or 3 operational issues most likely to become urgent next. • Future Roadmap: A clear picture of what lies ahead in the stages after yours. • 7 Stages of Growth™ Booklet: A takeaway guide to evaluate where your company stands, navigate current and future stages, and spot anything missed in earlier stages. • Follow-up Support: Information on scheduling follow-up Office Hours with Kyle at the SBRC.