Plan B Business
Common patterns

The 21 problems
we diagnose most often.

If one of these describes your business, the patterns and the fixes are predictable. The same problems repeat across the businesses we've advised for a decade, 2015-2026. Click in for the diagnosis + the operating playbook.

Money & margin

Cash flow problems

"Revenue looks fine but you're always worried about Friday's payroll."

See the diagnosis + fix

High revenue but no profit

"$2M in revenue and somehow there's nothing left for you."

See the diagnosis + fix

Working hard, earning less than your staff

"60-hour weeks, and your best employee takes home more than you do."

See the diagnosis + fix

You don't know where the money goes

"Good revenue month, empty account. Again."

See the diagnosis + fix

The business is in debt

"Credit line maxed, suppliers waiting, and every month is a shell game."

See the diagnosis + fix

No metrics (flying blind)

"'Was last month good?' If you can't answer with a number, that's the problem."

See the diagnosis + fix

Sales & marketing

Leads don't convert

"Your pipeline is full but your bank account isn't."

See the diagnosis + fix

Not enough customers

"The product is great. The phone just doesn't ring."

See the diagnosis + fix

No sales system

"You close 60% of your own deals. Your salesperson closes 10%. That's not a talent gap."

See the diagnosis + fix

No CRM

"Four salespeople, four spreadsheets, and deals falling through the cracks."

See the diagnosis + fix

Marketing isn't working

"$20K into campaigns this year. Three customers to show for it."

See the diagnosis + fix

No marketing plan

"Run an ad when things are slow, go quiet when things are busy. Repeat."

See the diagnosis + fix

Customers don't come back

"You win the first sale and never see them again. Every month starts at zero."

See the diagnosis + fix

No loyalty program

"Your best customers get the same deal as a stranger who walked in off the street."

See the diagnosis + fix

Operations & team

Owner dependency (founder bottleneck)

"If you take 3 weeks off, the business stops working."

See the diagnosis + fix

Stuck at a revenue plateau

"Same revenue for 18-24 months despite working harder."

See the diagnosis + fix

No time to actually manage

"You know you should work on the business. You spend all day working in it."

See the diagnosis + fix

No SOPs (standard procedures)

"Ask three employees how it's done and you'll get three different answers."

See the diagnosis + fix

Operational chaos (nothing has a place)

"'It's a bit of a mess, but it works.' It's costing more than you think."

See the diagnosis + fix

The team misses its targets

"Everyone looks busy all day. The monthly targets still don't close."

See the diagnosis + fix

No business plan

"Eight years in business, and the plan is 'see what happens'."

See the diagnosis + fix