Building a Scalable Business: Tips for SMEs

Make it scalable from the start

What does it mean for a business to be scalable?

Scalability is, by definition, the capacity to be changed in size or scale. For an SME, then, to be scalable is to be able to grow, whether now or in the future. The more scalability your business possesses, the easier it will be for you to take it to the next level—and the next one, and all the others beyond.

Unless you’re happy to keep your business ticking along the same indefinitely, scalability is a very desirable trait! But how do you achieve it? 

There are ways to build scalability into your SME right from the beginning. Scaling up might not happen immediately, but when the opportunity arises, you’ll want to be prepared.

Ensure your core operations are easily replicable

What’s the main service or product that your business provides? Is it easy to replicate? Do you have systems in place to ensure that your core tasks can be done as efficiently as possible?

For our tradie clients, this might look like focusing on one service (let’s say heat pump installation) and getting it DOWN—building systems and templates and automations around it in your job management software and training a team to do it accurately and quickly. 

In business planning, you may talk about focusing on your strengths, and that’s a good strategy. To ensure scalability, you should ensure that your strengths can be delivered well over and over again.

Automate where possible

Following on from the last point is this one: automate as many business processes as possible. A good software stack is a very valuable tool, and one which can do repetitive tasks for you will save time and money as well as making it easier to replicate your jobs.

Our guide to simple automation in small businesses is a great place to begin, demonstrating how you can use even the most basic of digital tools to make your life easier. If you’re looking to set yourself up for success with the perfect job management software, head over to FreeUp for advice from the experts.

Keep your networks strong

If your business experiences rapid growth, you will need to pull on the power of who you know as well as what you know! This might mean referring business on before you have the capacity to accept it, using contractors, collaborating with other companies, and even just seeking advice from those with experience.

Strong networks can be the difference between failure and success, so build and nurture relationships with others in your industry. Seek out mentorship, join networking groups—prioritise these connections right from the start.

Take yourself out of the field

Initially, most trades or service business owners will spend a large proportion of their time on the tools, whatever those tools might be. In order to grow, however, it’s important to have someone at the helm.

To prepare for the possibility of rapid growth, it’s a good idea to start building a strong and trustworthy team who can take over a lot of the operations. Not only does it free you up to work on the bigger picture, but it’s also a win in the business resilience column. If you’re out for the count with sickness or something else, you’ll want to know you have a team that can keep things running smoothly.

“In order to grow Released from being the one-woman band of 2014 to a team of over 30 professionals in 2024, I had to get out of my own way.  I realised quickly that I was involved in every area of the business where there were bottlenecks - in essence, I was the problem! Once I started relinquishing control, trusting my team with whole processes and roles, I freed myself up to work on the business not in it.  This enabled us to invest in talented people, raise them up to lead teams and ultimately do most of my job better than me!”

-Kellie Beaumont, Released Founder

These are just a few of the foundational concepts you should build into in your operations if growth is your intention. With these things in place, it will be much easier to take advantage of new opportunities and projects that come your way. Scalability is such a huge factor in success for SMEs—make it a priority from day one!

If you need help with the administrative tasks to free up your time to focus on scalability, get in touch with the Released team!