Nobody starts a business planning to shut it down. Yet after almost seven years in business and working with hundreds of entrepreneurs, I can spot the warning signs of business failure from a mile away. Here’s the thing though – this isn’t a death sentence. These are warning signs that you can absolutely fix once you’re aware of them. Because awareness? That’s the catalyst to change.
If you resonate with any of these points, don’t panic. You’re in control, and you can turn things around. Let’s dive into the five key indicators that your business might not last – and more importantly, what to do about them.
1. Your Business Was Designed to Burn You Out
The biggest red flag I see? Businesses built on trading time for money where the owner operates like an employee instead of a CEO. You’re doing all the work, handling every client task, and already feeling completely depleted.
Here’s what’s scary: many business owners will shut down perfectly profitable businesses – not because of revenue issues, but because they’re completely burned out. They can’t mentally, emotionally, or physically sustain the pace anymore.
If you’re working 50+ hours a week and barely have time for marketing because you’re stuck in delivery mode, this is your wake-up call. You need to structure your business so you can pull back, focus on the big picture, and work on business development instead of being trapped in day-to-day operations.
The solution? Start creating one-to-many offers, build a team, or develop digital products that don’t require your constant presence. Your future self will thank you.
2. You’re Inconsistent with Marketing and Social Media
I see this pattern everywhere: entrepreneurs who go all-in on marketing for a month – showing up consistently, engaging with their audience, creating great content – and then completely fall off the next month.
Maybe you landed a client from all that marketing effort, so now you’re too busy delivering to keep marketing. Or life happened, and marketing took a back seat. This feast-or-famine cycle is killing your business slowly.
Your marketing needs to be consistent, period. It’s non-negotiable. You don’t need to post seven days a week, but you do need a sustainable rhythm. Whether it’s three posts per week, consistent engagement, or regular outreach – pick something you can maintain long-term.
Remember: anything connected to your money-making activities needs consistency. Sporadic marketing efforts are a recipe for business failure.
3. You’re Not Excited About Your Business or Offers
This one has two sides: you’re either not excited about your overall business vision, or you’re not excited about what you’re selling.
If you can’t articulate your bigger vision – where you want to be in 10 years, how you want to impact clients, what legacy you’re building – then every day feels like you’re just going through the motions. That’s not sustainable.
You also need genuine excitement about your offers. Whether it’s “This is life-changing and you need it!” or “We’ve got this handled – you don’t need to worry,” you need that underlying belief and enthusiasm.
Your excitement doesn’t have to come solely from client transformation. It can come from building generational wealth, supporting your family’s dreams, or creating the lifestyle you want. But it has to come from somewhere, or your business will feel flat and lifeless.
4. You Lack Grit and Resilience
This one’s tough to hear, but if you crumble every time something goes wrong, your business is at risk. Every missed payment, difficult conversation, or failed launch sends you into a spiral that keeps you up at night.
Running a business means things will go wrong. You’ll have flop launches, last-minute cancellations, offers that don’t perform, and content that falls flat. That’s not failure – that’s business.
You need to develop the mindset that everything is information. Every outcome gives you data to improve next time. Sometimes it takes 15-20 iterations to figure something out, and just when you do, the market shifts again.
I’ve had my own major frustrations – like when my Stripe account got shut down after six years with zero chargebacks, and they wouldn’t even tell me why. It was infuriating and panic-inducing. But I learned from it, found solutions, and now I can help other entrepreneurs who face the same issue.
Build your resilience muscle by doing things you don’t want to do. Trust yourself to handle whatever comes up, and remember that this too shall pass.
5. You’re Not Self-Motivated
Here’s a huge indicator: if you need constant external motivation and accountability to take action, your business will struggle to thrive.
The entrepreneurs whose businesses flourish are self-driven. They’re checking in with progress updates, asking for feedback on their ideas, but they’re not saying “Tell me what to do.” They take action despite fear and uncertainty.
If you know you struggle with self-motivation, get the support you need – hire a coach who will hold your feet to the fire. But you also need to actively work on holding yourself accountable. You can’t rely solely on external accountability forever.
This often requires inner work, repetition, and flexing that action-taking muscle even when you don’t feel ready. Just like building physical strength at the gym, you build resilience by consistently doing what you said you’d do.
The Bottom Line
If you’re reading this and thinking “Oh crap, that’s me” – good. That awareness is exactly what you need to make changes. I’ve worked with hundreds of business owners, and the ones who succeed aren’t necessarily the most talented or lucky. They’re the ones who recognize these warning signs and take action to fix them.
You have the power to build a sustainable, profitable business that doesn’t require you to work more than 25 hours a week. But it requires the right strategy, consistent action, and the mindset to push through challenges.
If you’re looking for the roadmap to build a six-figure business that’s truly sustainable, join us in Grow. Inside this membership, I’ll teach you my complete framework for building a profitable business while working part-time hours.
You’ll get step-by-step guidance, weekly group coaching calls, daily community support, challenges to keep you motivated, and all the tools you need to succeed. But here’s the thing, I can give you the map, but you have to be willing to follow it.
If you’re ready to take responsibility for your success and do the work required, click here to join Grow and let’s build something that will last a lifetime.
