You’ve got clear goals.
The team’s working hard.
You’re busier than ever.
So why does progress feel so… stuck?
This is something I see all the time in growing service-based businesses.
You’ve made it past survival mode, you’ve got clients, a team, maybe even a strong reputation — but momentum is patchy at best.
You’re aiming for growth, but you’re not seeing the results.
And the worst part? You can’t quite tell why.
You’re Too Close to See the Real Issue
When things aren’t working, we tend to focus on the symptoms:
Missed deadlines
Team confusion
Projects stalling
Too many “Can I just check…” Slack messages
But these are just signs of a deeper issue.
In most cases, the real problem isn’t your people, your effort, or even your plans — it’s your operations.
And more specifically, your bottlenecks.
“Bottleneck” Sounds Jargony — But You’ve Definitely Felt One
A bottleneck is anything in your business that restricts flow.
It’s the reason things stall, get duplicated, or need you to intervene… constantly.
Sometimes it’s a tool or a system.
Sometimes it’s a person.
Sometimes — spoiler alert — it’s you (we’ll come back to that in Blog 2 — [insert link]).
And if you’re not 100% sure what a bottleneck really is — or what yours might be — head over to my YouTube video:
📺 “What Is a Bottleneck in Business?”
It’s a short explainer that helps you spot the signs and start identifying what’s really slowing you down.
Once you can name the issue? You can do something about it.
Here’s Where This Comes From
I didn’t always work this way.
Before COVID, I worked as a Virtual Assistant — and my role was very reactive. I was told what to do, and I did it. Efficiently, of course — but I wasn’t expected to contribute to the bigger picture.
Then lockdown hit.
Suddenly, everything changed.
Clients were scrambling to adapt — pivoting business models, launching new offers, looking for alternative revenue streams. And instead of coming to me with a list of tasks, they came with something different.
They came with ideas.
They said things like, “I’ve got this project in mind, can you help me think it through?”
Or, “I need to make some changes, but I don’t know where to start.”
That was the turning point for me.
I moved from task-taker to thought partner — and started getting involved in the planning, the problem-solving, and ultimately, identifying what was slowing them down.
That’s when I began to really see it: the subtle snags and bottlenecks that were holding good businesses back.
The growth they wanted wasn’t out of reach — but their operations weren’t set up to support it.
And honestly? That’s still what I see today.
What to Do Instead (Because “Work Harder” Isn’t It)
If you’re not achieving your goals, it’s time to stop pushing and start reflecting.
Here are 3 simple but powerful actions to take:
1. Reflect Honestly
Ask yourself:
Are we doing more… or making progress?
What’s draining my energy, time, or attention right now?
What’s happening repeatedly that shouldn’t be?
Don’t just review tasks — review outcomes.
What was meant to happen this quarter vs what actually did?
2. Ask Your Team (and really listen)
You don’t need to have all the answers — but your team probably has a few of the questions.
Try asking:
What’s getting in your way right now?
Where are things unclear or duplicated?
What do you always wait on before you can move forward?
You’re not asking them to fix it — you’re gathering insight. And insight = leverage.
3. Watch for Friction
This is where bottlenecks hide. Look out for:
Work stalling in handovers
Waiting on approvals (especially from you!)
Repeating the same task or fixing the same issue
Tasks living in people’s heads instead of systems
A little friction might seem harmless — but over time, it snowballs.
And if you’d like help spotting those friction points? Well… I might know someone 😉
Need Help Uncovering Yours?
If any of this feels a little too familiar, I’ve got two resources to help:
📥 What’s Really Holding Your Business Back?
Discover 5 key shifts that streamline your business and help you scale with more ease
👉 https://subscribepage.io/YiAue4
📘 100+ Ways an OBM Can Support Your Business
A clear, practical list of how someone like me can help behind the scenes
👉 https://subscribepage.io/Ea9muO
And if you’re ready to really dig into what’s holding you back?
Let’s look under the bonnet together.
🔧 Book a Business Operations Review
👉 https://www.strive4.co.uk/business-operations-review/
TL;DR
If you’re busy but not seeing results, there’s probably a bottleneck in the way. Here’s how to spot it — and what to do next.