--- title: Business Growth Blog | business growth challenges (6) description: business growth challenges | Business Growth Blog, giving insight to owner-managers and entrepreneurs to help grow their businesses. Powered by the Cranfield School of Management Business Growth Programme (BGP) (6) --- [![School of Management Logo](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/LD_Blog_Live_Site_Files/logo-som.png?width=580&name=logo-som.png "School of Management Logo")](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk) - Blog Topics - [Business Growth](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/topic/business-growth-challenges) - [Family Business & Succession](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/topic/succession) - [Not-for-Profit Growth](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/topic/not-for-profit) - [All Blogs](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog) - Learning - [The Business Growth Programme](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/open-executive-programmes/growing-businesses/business-growth-programme) - [Essential Management](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/open-executive-programmes/growing-businesses/essential-management) - [Sales Essentials](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/open-executive-programmes/growing-businesses/sales-essentials-for-success) - [Finance Fundamentals](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/open-executive-programmes/growing-businesses/finance-fundamentals-for-growing-businesses) - [Masterclass: Selling Your Business](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/open-executive-programmes/growing-businesses/selling-your-business-masterclass) - More - [Contact](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgp-blog-contact) - [SUBSCRIBE](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgp-blog-home#sub-form) [Subscribe](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgp-blog-home#sub-form) - Menu Item 1 - Sub-menu Item 1 - Another Item - Sub-menu Item 2 - Menu Item 2 - Yet Another Item - Menu Item 3 - Menu Item 4 Quick links [Growth](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/business-growth-challenges) [Family & Succession](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/succession) [Not-for-Profit](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/not-for-profit) [About](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgp-blog-about) Hit enter to seach. ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/LD_Blog_Live_Site_Files/Images/logo-responsive.svg) # Business Growth Programme # Succession Challenges # Not-for-Profit # All Blogs [Growth](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/business-growth-challenges) [Family & Succession](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/succession) [Not-for-Profit](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/not-for-profit) [All](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Returning to the workplace - an HR guide - 14 May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/returning-to-the-workplace-an-hr-guide-14th-may) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Taking Stock - How COVID-19 has impacted my business - 12 May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/taking-stock-how-covid-19-has-impacted-my-business-12th-may) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Taking Stock - Where are we with this crisis? - 7th May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/taking-stock-where-are-we-with-this-crisis-7th-may) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Taking Stock - Key Lessons from Webinars in April - 5th May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/taking-stock-key-lessons-from-webinars-in-april-5th-ma) Register for one of our FREE Business Growth Briefings.  [Register Now](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/ld-blog/free-business-growth-briefing) ![ebook-placeholder.jpg](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/BGP%20Blog/BGP%20Images/Brochures/BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png?width=554&name=BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png "ebook-placeholder.jpg") **Download the BGP Brochure** This programme helps ambitious owner-managers, like yourself, who are looking to create a different and better future for themselves and their business. [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a) FEATURED [BGP Alumni Enjoy Massive Success at the National Business Awards **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/bgp-alumni-enjoy-massive-success-at-the-national-business-awards) Register for one of our FREE Business Growth Briefings [Learn More](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/ld-blog/free-business-growth-briefing) ![brochure.jpg](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/BGP%20Blog/BGP%20Images/Brochures/BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png?width=554&name=BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png "brochure.jpg") **Download the BGP Brochure** This programme helps ambitious owner-managers, like yourself, who are looking to create a different and better future for themselves and their business. [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a) Register for one of our FREE Business Growth Briefings [Learn More](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/ld-blog/free-business-growth-briefing) ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/BGP%20Blog/BGP%20Images/Brochures/BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png?width=554&name=BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png) **Download the BGP Brochure** This programme helps ambitious owner-managers, like yourself, who are looking to create a different and better future for themselves and their business. [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Returning to the workplace - an HR guide - 14 May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/returning-to-the-workplace-an-hr-guide-14th-may) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Taking Stock - How COVID-19 has impacted my business - 12 May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/taking-stock-how-covid-19-has-impacted-my-business-12th-may) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Taking Stock - Where are we with this crisis? - 7th May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/taking-stock-where-are-we-with-this-crisis-7th-may) FEATURED [WEBINAR ON DEMAND | Taking Stock - Key Lessons from Webinars in April - 5th May **Read More**](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/taking-stock-key-lessons-from-webinars-in-april-5th-ma) Register for one of our FREE Business Growth Briefings. [Learn More](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/ld-blog/free-business-growth-briefing) [![ebook-placeholder.jpg](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/BGP%20Blog/BGP%20Images/Brochures/BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png?width=554&name=BGP_Brochure_Cover_Image-785650-edited.png "ebook-placeholder.jpg")](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Cranfield_Live_Site_Files/CF_Live_Images/ebook-placeholder.jpg) **Download the BGP Brochure** This programme helps ambitious owner-managers, like yourself, who are looking to create a different and better future for themselves and their business. [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/d6dc5788-a72b-474d-b2bc-40feeb4d3b9a) ## [The Importance of Getting the Right Business Plan](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/getting-the-right-business-plan) By Professor Andrew Burke ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Blog_Images/cranfield-blog-getting-the-right-business-plan.jpg) People may observe high-performing ventures that don’t have business plans and conclude, **why bother to plan**? Business planning is a time-consuming exercise and any business has to weigh up the **value that is generated from spending time writing a business plan versus simply going out there and trying to sell**. This can be particularly beneficial when a venture is launching a product or service in a very uncertain market, where even after carrying out plenty of analysis, uncertainty still remains. [Read More](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/getting-the-right-business-plan) ## [Ten Lessons in Creating a Great Business](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/ten-lessons-in-creating-a-great-business) By David Molian ![](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/hubfs/Blog_Images/cranfield-blog-1--lessons-learned.jpg) ### How do high achievers manage to create a great business out of merely a good business? #### Cranfield studied the accounts of 15,000 independent UK businesses with turnovers between £1m and £50m over a four-year period. The results? Many aspire, few achieve. Fewer than 2% of these businesses consistently grew sales and profits by 25% and provided a decent return on capital employed. [Read More](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/ten-lessons-in-creating-a-great-business) [0](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/topic/business-growth-challenges/page/0) 7 [\<\< First](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog/topic/business-growth-challenges/page/1) Last \>\> ### Subscribe for content updates [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe) [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe) [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe) [![BGP Brochure](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/417879/a5d52cdd-b804-4704-80b1-ae7626ca6ebe) Filter Our Blog by Topic [Growth](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/business-growth-challenges) [Family & Succession](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/succession) [Not-for-Profit](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/not-for-profit) [All](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog) [About](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgp-blog-about)[Growth](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/business-growth-challenges) [Contact](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgp-blog-contact)[Succession](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/succession) [Subscribe](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgp-blog-home#sub-form)[Not-for-Profit](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/blog/topic/not-for-profit) [All Blog](https://blog.som.cranfield.ac.uk/bgpblog)[Cranfield](http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/) © 2026 Cranfield University | [Privacy Policy](https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/privacy-policy)