How to Approach Business Growth as an Entrepreneur

After nearly nine years of running One Nine Design, I've learned that growth isn't just about getting bigger. It's about getting better at what you already do while staying true to why you started in the first place.

When I first launched One Nine Design, I wanted to help nonprofits and small businesses create websites that actually work for them. Along the way, I added the Nonprofit Template Library because I kept seeing organizations struggle with the same challenges. Now, as I look toward the next phase of growth, I'm thinking about what it means to scale thoughtfully while keeping that same mission-driven focus.

Whether you're running a nonprofit, a small business, or a design agency like mine, growth requires intention. Here are ten strategies that can help you expand without losing sight of what makes your work meaningful.

1. Set goals

You need to know where you're going. I know that sounds obvious, but it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day work and forget to step back and ask yourself what you're actually trying to build.

Setting goals gives you something concrete to aim for and just as importantly, something to refer to when things start to feel a bit off track. When I sit down and map out what I want to achieve for the month, quarter or year, I start with visualizing where I want to end up for that time period. Then I work backwards, writing down what it’s going to take to get there. Things often shift quite a bit in the process, but I know that in the end, I’m working in the right direction.

2. Write, or revisit, a business plan

If you're just starting out, you probably have some version of a business plan, even if it's rough notes on a napkin. That's a good start, but as you move forward, you'll want something more structured.

If you've been in business for a while, here's the thing: your original plan probably doesn't reflect where you are now or where you want to go next. Growth means your business has changed, and your plan needs to catch up.

Whether you're writing your first real business plan or updating an old one, the exercise forces you to think through what needs to happen. What systems do you need? What resources are missing? If you're looking for outside investment, you'll need a formal plan anyway. But even if you're bootstrapping, sitting down and mapping out your strategy helps you see the gaps between where you are and where you want to be.

3. Organize your operations

Before you can grow, you need to make sure what you're already doing is running smoothly. This is where having the right tools in place makes all the difference.

Think about the goals you just set. What systems do you need to support them? If you're in waste management, for example, investing in waste management software helps you track routes, manage customer accounts, and handle billing without drowning in spreadsheets. If you run a nonprofit, switching to a proper email platform like MailerLite or Constant Contact means you can actually segment your donors and automate thank-you messages instead of sending everything manually.

The right tools free up your time and mental energy so you can focus on growth instead of getting buried in daily operations. Look at where you're spending the most time on repetitive tasks, then find tools built specifically for those challenges.

4. Expand your workforce

At some point, you'll hit a ceiling on what you can do alone. Growth can sometimes means bringing other people in to help.

That doesn't necessarily mean hiring full-time employees right away. A few years into running One Nine Design, I started working with a virtual assistant and outsourcing specific tasks. That shift changed everything. Suddenly, I had time to focus on the higher-value work that actually moved my business forward—things like client strategy sessions and developing new services—instead of getting stuck in administrative tasks.

Maybe you need a VA to handle scheduling and email. Maybe you need a bookkeeper, a writer, or someone to manage your social media. Or maybe you're at the point where you do need to bring on full-time team members to handle the growing workload and bring in new revenue. If that's the case, you might need outside investment to fund those hires.

Either way, recognize when you need help and be strategic about what you hand off. The goal is to free yourself up for the work either only you can do, or the work that brings you the most joy!

5. Bring in a marketing agency

Here's something important to understand: marketing isn't sales. Marketing is about building awareness and trust so that when someone needs what you offer, you're the first person they think of. Sales is what happens after that groundwork is laid.

The other thing about marketing is that it works best when you're showing up in multiple places. Maybe that's your website blog, your email list, social media, and guest appearances on podcasts. A multi-channel approach means people encounter you in different ways, and that repetition builds familiarity and credibility.

The key is to find the marketing you actually enjoy doing. If you hate writing, don't force yourself to blog three times a week. If you love talking to people, focus on networking events or video content. When you're doing marketing that feels natural to you, it stops feeling like a chore and becomes part of how you run your business.

If you're truly maxed out or marketing just isn't your thing, bringing in a marketing agency or hiring someone in-house can help. But start by figuring out what a sustainable marketing strategy looks like for you.

6. Be creative with your strategy

You don't need to jump on every marketing trend that comes along. In fact, chasing every new platform or tactic usually just leaves you exhausted and spread too thin.

Instead, look for creative strategies that make sense for your specific business, your region, or your interests. Maybe that's partnering with complementary local businesses for cross-promotion. Maybe it's hosting educational workshops that position you as an expert. Maybe it's creating a resource library that solves a real problem for your audience.

The best creative marketing plan takes tried-and-true strategies and adapts them to what you're uniquely positioned to offer. When I focus on accessibility in web design, I'm not inventing something new—I'm applying an important principle in a way that resonates with nonprofits and mission-driven businesses who care about inclusion.

Pay attention to trends, sure. But don't feel obligated to be on every new platform or try every new strategy. Find what works for your audience and what you genuinely enjoy doing. That's where you'll see the best results.

7. Understand what a PR campaign is (and if you need one)

PR—public relations—is different from marketing, though they work well together. Marketing is you telling your story directly to your audience through channels you control. PR is getting other people to tell your story for you through media coverage, speaking opportunities, and third-party credibility.

A strong PR campaign might include press releases, yes, but it goes way beyond that. It's about building relationships with journalists, bloggers, and podcast hosts in your industry. It's pitching yourself as an expert source when reporters need quotes. It's securing speaking gigs at conferences or local events. It's getting featured in roundup articles or industry publications.

Not every business needs a formal PR strategy. If you're a local service provider with a steady stream of referrals, you might not need national media attention. But if you're trying to establish yourself as a thought leader, launch a new product, or reach audiences beyond your current network, PR can open doors that paid advertising can't.

The key is that PR builds credibility in a way marketing alone can't. When someone reads about you in a trusted publication or hears you speak at an event, that carries more weight than seeing your ad. It positions you as an authority, not just a vendor.

8. Decide if scaling is right for you

Scaling isn't for everyone, and that's okay. Some businesses thrive by staying small and focused. Others are built to grow.

You'll know it's time to consider scaling when demand consistently outpaces what you can deliver, when you're turning away good opportunities because you don't have capacity, or when you've proven your model works and you're ready to reach more people.

If you're going to scale, your operations need to be solid first. If your systems are barely holding together now, adding more clients or customers will just amplify the chaos. That's why getting your operations organized (back in step 3) matters so much. Growth should feel challenging, not like everything's about to collapse.

If scaling fits your goals, great. If staying small suits you and your lifestyle better, that's equally valid.

9. Launch new things (but do your homework)

One of the best ways to grow is adding new offerings that complement what you already do. It keeps your business interesting for you and gives your audience more ways to work with you.

When I launched the Nonprofit Template Library alongside my web design services, it came from seeing the same needs come up over and over with clients. They needed help with things like donation forms and board meeting agendas, but hiring me for custom work wasn't always in their budget. The templates were a natural extension of what I was already doing.

Before you launch something new, do the research. What does your audience actually need? What are they already asking you for? What's missing in the market that you're uniquely positioned to provide? And honestly, do you have the time and resources to do this well?

New products or services should feel like a natural next step, not a distraction. They might be variations of your core work, complementary offerings, or even something in a related field. Just make sure you're not stretching yourself too thin or launching something because it sounds exciting without understanding if there's real demand for it.

10. Take care of your people (including you)

Your business depends on people—your clients, your team, your collaborators. But many business owners overlook their own self-care in this category, too.

Yes, you need to take care of your clients by delivering good work and being responsive. If you have employees or contractors, you need to support them and create a good working relationship. And if you have investors or key partners, those relationships matter too.

But none of that works if you're running on empty. Regular mental health check-ins aren't optional—they're part of running a sustainable business. Good time management means protecting your energy, not just filling every available hour. Using project management software (I rely on tools like Asana that let me see everything at a glance) helps you stay organized and plan for actual time off without everything falling apart.

Growth is exciting, but burnout isn't worth it. Build a business that takes care of the people who make it possible, starting with you. When you're rested, focused, and mentally healthy, everything else works better.