Top 7 Ways to Achieve Small Business Growth

Business growth is at the heart of our daily activities as small business owners. But how do you achieve business growth when you are operating in a tough economic environment?

I mean, how can you and I ensure business growth even when we all know starting and running a small business in African cities like Kumasi, Accra, Takoradi, Tamale, Lagos, Lome, Onitsha, Monrovia, or Freetown is fraught with many challenges?

I have good news for you.

The same best practices that successful entrepreneurs in Europe, North America or the Far East have used to achieve business growth can work for you and me.

The fact that we have decided to start a business in Africa does not mean we are working from a different planet.

We are living in an interconnected global economy. Therefore, the same methods a startup in New Your City, London or Berlin is using to increase business revenue and profit can work for someone operating a business in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya or Uganda.

So what are some of these best business practices that can promote business growth in African countries?

Here comes my shortlist of the things you and I need to start doing to make our business more profitable.

1. Keep things simple

Truly, there is so much to gain from simplicity. The best results come from the basic things that need no sophisticated systems or methods.

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2. Live by the 80/20 Principle

Focus on the few things that give you the greatest results. Because, at the end of the day, it is not how many tasks you’ve done in the day that matters. It is how far you’ve gone in achieving your most important startup targets.

3. Invest in yourself

Investing in yourself is the best gift you can give to your business.

Learn a new skill, educate yourself more. Watch videos and listen to podcasts that motivate and teach entrepreneurial individuals to keep going in the right direction.

Read the best business books out there. And spend time on blogs that focus on promoting success in entrepreneurship.

Do not forget to learn the most effective ways to invest in employee development. This will enable your people to assist you in achieving business growth.

4. Develop the ability to spot new opportunities

In business, innovation and being proactive are key to success.

Remember what Sir Richard Branson once said:

Business opportunities are like buses; there is always another one coming.

RICHARD BRANSON

All you need to do is to be there to spot them and take advantage of them when they come your way.

5. Prepare for the future

Do not wait for events to take you by surprise. Learn how to deal with adversity in business. Because challenges are going to remain part of every entrepreneurial journey on this earth.

There is no way you can avoid them. So what you must be doing now is to find the best ways to prepare for the future of your small business.

6. Work with reliable information only

Information sourced from hearsay and gutter gossip will only stunt the growth of the business. It is in the best interest of your small business to look for the most reliable sources of information.

There are both local and international media outlets, magazines and blogs that can give you reliable economic data, for example. They can also give you the right business news that will help you make the decisions your business needs to thrive and grow.

7. Express gratitude to your customers.

Without loyal customers, none of us has any business being in business.

Our customers are one of the most valuable assets we have. I’ve said this before, and I’ll keep repeating it. You know why? Because many small business owners in Africa still behave as if they are doing the customer a favour.

So we keep losing customers without knowing why.

One key secret to small business success is to treat customers well. Learn to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction every blessed day. The more you show them you appreciate their decision to keep buying your goods and services, the higher sales and profit the business will generate.

But, mind you, that does not mean going overboard to tolerate negative behaviour from a customer just because they bring money to your shop.

Last word

Never must you forget that business growth is vital in your entrepreneurial journey. Constant, sustainable growth is the only guarantee for the survival of every business.

Do not be satisfied with the status quo. Resist the urge to join the multitudes of small business owners in Ghana, Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa who are happy to live with mediocrity – never willing to grow their businesses further. Take action today and start taking your small business to the next level.

Last Updated on March 5, 2026 by PTG Market