Author: stevek

A real business turnaround story about why stability should come before growth

Just over three years ago, I met the owner of a small family-run manufacturing business.

Like many businesses I encounter, they were working incredibly hard but weren’t necessarily moving forward.

Cash flow was unpredictable. Production procedures were inconsistent. Sales were largely dependent on enquiries from the general public using increasingly outdated marketing methods.

The management structure was informal and reactive rather than planned.

And, of course, Covid lockdown had taken its toll.

At times, it genuinely felt touch-and-go whether the business would survive.

Yet there were also some powerful strengths.

The owner, who was already in his late sixties, had energy and determination that many people half his age would struggle to match.

His two sons were equally enthusiastic and keen to introduce new ideas, particularly around technology and modern sales channels.

The problem wasn’t a lack of effort.

It was a lack of direction.

The First Rule: Stabilise Before You Grow

One of the biggest mistakes I see in struggling businesses is the immediate focus on growth.

More sales, more customers, more marketing, more staff.

But if the foundations aren’t right, growth can actually make the problems worse.

So we didn’t start by talking about expansion or ambitious profit targets.

We started with stability, there were three areas that needed attention.

1. Cash-flow control

The business needed a much clearer understanding of exactly when money was coming in and when it was going out.

Simple forecasting replaced guesswork.

It wasn’t complicated.

But having a clearer picture of future cash flow immediately made decision-making easier.

2. Production discipline

The production side of the business needed clearer procedures.

Consistency matters enormously in manufacturing.

Clearer processes helped reduce waste, improve consistency and protect margins.

Again, nothing particularly glamorous.

But these are the things that make a business work.

3. Defined management roles

Family businesses can be fantastic places to work.

There is often a huge amount of trust, loyalty and commitment.

But family relationships can also mean that responsibilities aren’t always clearly defined.

Who makes the decision? – Who is responsible for what? – Who is accountable when something doesn’t happen?

We introduced more structure around the management roles.

Not bureaucracy, just clarity.

And these changes created something that was perhaps even more important than immediate profit.

Confidence.

The Turning Point: Changing the Route to Market

The next major issue was sales.

Historically, the company had sold mainly direct to the general public.

That provided regular activity, but it also created some problems.

Volumes could be unpredictable, pricing always seemed to be under pressure.

And it was difficult to plan production with any real certainty.

So we looked at developing a second route to market.

Business-to-business sales

The idea wasn’t to abandon the existing customer base.

Instead, we wanted to create a more structured B2B sales channel alongside it.

This opened up the possibility of larger and more repeatable orders.

It also brought some important advantages:

• More predictable production requirements
• Larger repeat orders
• Better pricing control
• Improved production planning
• More predictable cash flow

The original direct sales channel remained.

It was useful and profitable.

The difference was that it was no longer carrying the entire business.

There were now two distinct routes to market.

That was an important change.

We Didn’t Chase Growth

This is perhaps the biggest lesson from the whole exercise.

We didn’t set out to transform the company overnight.

We didn’t throw money at advertising.

We didn’t try to double turnover in twelve months.

We concentrated on making the business work better.

Once the foundations became stronger, growth became much easier to manage.

And importantly, it became sustainable growth.

There is a big difference.

A business can grow rapidly and still be fundamentally unhealthy.

Turnover can increase while cash flow gets worse.

More customers can create more operational problems.

More orders can put pressure on production.

Growth isn’t automatically success.

Healthy growth comes from a healthy business.

Three Years Later

Today, the company is a very different proposition.

It has:

• Solid operational foundations
• Clearer leadership responsibilities
• Two distinct routes to market
• Better production discipline
• More predictable cash flow
• Managed and steady growth

But perhaps most importantly, it has renewed belief.

The owner continues to bring experience, energy and determination.

His sons bring enthusiasm, technology and an openness to change.

Together, they have built something that isn’t simply busy.

It is sustainable.

And for me, that’s the important distinction.

What Business Owners Over 60 Can Learn From This

There is sometimes an assumption that later life is a time to slow down professionally.

I don’t agree.

In fact, your sixties and beyond can be an incredibly powerful time to build, reshape or reinvent a business.

Experience matters.

You have seen businesses succeed and fail.

You have made mistakes.

Hopefully, you’ve learned from them.

And you can often recognise risks and opportunities much quicker than you could earlier in your career.

The trick isn’t necessarily to work harder.

It is to work more clearly.

Know your numbers.

Understand your operation.

Know who is responsible for what.

Look honestly at where your customers come from.

And don’t confuse being busy with running a healthy business.

The simple principle

Strong foundations first.

Growth second.

That simple principle has probably saved more businesses than any clever marketing strategy ever will.

And sometimes the best turnaround strategy isn’t about doing something completely different.

It is about finally fixing the things that have been getting in the way.

A Final Thought

I look back at this particular business with some satisfaction because it was never about one big idea.

There was no magic solution.

It was a series of relatively simple changes, made in the right order.

Get control of the finances.

Improve the operation.

Create some management structure.

Find a better route to market.

Then allow the business to grow.

For anyone running a business after 60, I think there is a wider lesson here.

You don’t have to start again.

Sometimes you simply need to look at the business you’ve already built and ask:

What would make this work better?

That might be the beginning of your next chapter.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first step in turning around a struggling business?

The first step is usually to stabilise the fundamentals before trying to grow. In this case, that meant gaining better control of cash flow, improving production discipline and creating clearer management responsibilities.

Should a struggling business focus on growth?

Not necessarily. Growth can actually make an unstable business more difficult to manage. Building stronger financial and operational foundations first can create a much better platform for sustainable growth.

Can changing the sales strategy help turn around a business?

It can. Developing an additional route to market can reduce reliance on one type of customer and create more predictable sales. In this case, introducing a structured B2B channel alongside existing direct sales helped improve order consistency and cash-flow predictability.

Can family businesses benefit from clearer management structures?

Absolutely. Trust and family relationships are valuable, but clearly defined responsibilities help everyone understand who is responsible for decisions and outcomes. Structure doesn’t have to mean bureaucracy.

Is it too late to reshape a business after 60?

Definitely not. Experience can be a major advantage when reshaping a business later in life. The objective doesn’t have to be building the biggest business possible. It can simply be building a business that works better, provides income and is sustainable for the future.

Over to You

Have you ever had to turn around a struggling business?

Or perhaps you’ve reached a point where you know your business needs to change, but you’re not quite sure where to start?

I’d be interested to hear your experience.

🟦 Business After 60 Conversation

Following last week’s conversation on leadership fatigue, clarity, and “When was the last time you cleared your windscreen?”, it became clear how easily daily operational fog takes over.

When you are operating with low clarity and high fatigue, managing your time feels almost impossible.

This is particularly critical if you are running a business in your 60s. At this stage of life, time is no longer just about output—it’s about leverage, energy management, and protecting your quality of life.

You have decades of experience, but you shouldn’t be burning the candle at both ends or working the same reactive hours you did in your 30s.

Managing your energy is just as important as managing your bottom line, ensuring your business works for you rather than consuming your time.

That is why I am revisiting a core topic: Struggling with time management—where six hours a week can change your personal and professional life completely.

It breaks down into a simple, non-negotiable balance:

• 3 protected hours for your business to target key goals, clear operational clutter, and regain strategic momentum.
• 3 protected hours for yourself to recharge physical energy, clear your mind, and maintain the stamina required to lead effectively.

Below is the updated guide on how to put this 6-hour framework into practice.

Time Management for Small Business Owners – What 40 Years Taught Me (And Why 6 Hours a Week Is Enough)

Time management is one of my favourite subjects, yet it is one of those concepts we all think we understand—until we actually audit where our hours go.

For small business owners and mature entrepreneurs, real change does not require a drastic lifestyle overhaul.

A simple, disciplined approach—protecting three focused hours for business development and three dedicated hours for your own physical and mental well-being each week—can significantly improve productivity, reduce stress, and restore clarity.

My own wake-up moment came years ago while working in sales management for control and automation systems at a German engineering firm.

I was seconded into a six-month time and motion study analysing sales engineers, middle managers, and busy professionals across three subsidiaries.

What we discovered back then remains true today, even in our era of apps, CRMs, and AI:

Most people do not have a time problem; they have a focus and energy problem.

What the Data Showed Us About Productivity

Back then, we tracked how professionals actually spent their days: how they planned, how they routed appointments, and how much time was spent reacting versus being proactive.

Despite all of today’s modern digital tools, one truth remains:

The day will automatically fill with reactive noise unless you deliberately take control of it.

The 6-Hour “Business & Personal Fitness” Framework

To break out of constant firefighting and leadership fatigue, split your focus into two equal, protected pillars: 3 hours for the business, and 3 hours for yourself.

Pillar 1: 3 Hours for the Business (Stepping Off the Treadmill)

Spread across three 1-hour sessions each week, this is non-negotiable proactive time for business development and growth.

• No emails.
• No firefighting.
• No “just quickly answering this first.”

Use this time exclusively to build long-term value, rather than just maintain daily ops:

• Following up warm leads and high-value prospects.
• Reconnecting with existing clients and past contacts.
• Chasing outstanding quotes with genuine engagement.
• Asking lost prospects: “What would we need to change to win your business in the future?” (The answer is rarely just about price—it usually reveals where value was missed).

Pillar 2: 3 Hours for Yourself (Rebuilding Energy & Clarity)

Just as your business needs targeted attention, your body and mind require dedicated maintenance—especially for business leaders over 60. Split into three 1-hour sessions:

• Brisk countryside walks or uninterrupted outdoor movement.
• Structured resistance work or light strength exercise.
• Pure downtime away from all screens and operational demands.

A tired, distracted business owner makes poor strategic decisions. No business system can fix low personal energy.

Why 3 + 3 Works for Sustainable Business Growth

You don’t build fitness from one heroic workout, nor do you transform a business in one burst of motivation. Consistency trumps intensity every time.

• 3 hours of business focus keeps revenue opportunities from slipping through the cracks, builds trust before price is discussed, and creates predictable momentum.
• 3 hours of personal focus sharpens cognitive clarity, reduces leadership fatigue, and restores the stamina needed to lead effectively.

A Simple Daily Framework: The Four D’s of Time Management

When operational tasks start piling up during the rest of your week, run them through this time-tested decision filter:

• Do: If it is urgent and critical, handle it immediately.
• Delegate: If someone else can do it (or if it can be automated with tools), hand it off.
• Defer: If it matters but isn’t pressing, schedule a firm slot in your calendar.
• Delete: If it does not align with your core goals, eliminate it entirely.

Tools, CRMs, and planners don’t fix time management. Decisions do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is time management different for business owners in their 60s?

In your 60s, energy management becomes as vital as time management. Priorities shift toward sustainable growth, protecting health, and achieving lifestyle freedom rather than working 60-hour operational weeks.

Why separate business development time and personal health time so strictly?

Business growth and personal vitality are interdependent. If you focus solely on the business while neglecting your health and clarity, burnout sets in. If you focus solely on well-being without driving the business, stress accumulates from lack of progress.

Is 3 hours a week really enough time for business development?

Yes, provided those 3 hours are completely uninterrupted. Three hours of deep, proactive outreach and strategy accomplish far more than 20 hours of distracted, reactive work.

How do small business owners stop firefighting from interrupting protected time?

Treat these hours like an unmovable appointment with your most important client. Block them in your calendar, turn off notifications, and step away from your inbox.

Final Thought

If you do one thing this week to clear your windscreen, let it be this:

👉 Block out six individual 1-hour slots in your calendar—three for your business, and three for yourself.

Small, consistent actions—taken deliberately—always yield the biggest return.

Ropho – Practical business thinking for people who value experience over noise.