The Biggest Mistakes Struggling Companies Make Before Seeking Help

By Darlene M. Ziebell, Business Turnaround Strategist and Crisis Management Expert

There’s no award for holding out the longest before asking for help. Yet far too many business owners treat reaching out for support like a badge of shame. They wait until the wheels are nearly off, the revenue has flatlined, and the team is in panic mode—hoping that maybe next month things will turn around.

I’ve seen it all. And if you’re reading this, chances are you—or someone you know—is in the middle of that storm.

Here’s the truth: companies don’t fail overnight. It’s the accumulation of overlooked decisions, false assumptions, and delayed actions that cause the real damage. The good news? You can change course—but only if you recognize the signs early enough.

Let me walk you through the biggest mistakes I see struggling companies make before they finally pick up the phone and call someone like me.

1. Ignoring the Numbers That Matter

Here’s what I ask struggling business owners in our first conversation:
“What are your sales trends over the last 6 months?”
“What’s your customer acquisition cost?”
“What’s your break-even point?”

You’d be surprised how many don’t know—or worse, guess.

Running a business without watching your numbers is like driving blindfolded. You don’t need to be an accountant, but you do need to know how the money is moving. If you're not tracking KPIs (key performance indicators), you're relying on hope as your strategy—and hope doesn’t rebuild profits.

Fix: Make financial transparency a weekly ritual. Know your numbers. Review your P&L like you review your calendar.

2. Treating Symptoms Instead of Root Causes

Struggling businesses often focus on surface problems:

• “We need more followers.”

• “Let’s offer a flash sale.”

• “We’ll rebrand next month.”

But if you’re losing customers, slapping on a new logo won’t fix it. You can’t solve a sales slump with social media noise. These are distractions from the real work: understanding why the business isn’t performing.

As a business turnaround strategist, I dig deep. Most often, it’s not the marketing or the website—it’s the lack of a defined business model, weak positioning, or internal chaos.

Fix: Stop throwing spaghetti at the wall. Before you invest in another ad campaign, analyze your foundation. What’s broken? And more importantly—why?

3. Waiting Too Long to Make Tough Decisions

By the time I’m brought in, many business owners already know what needs to be done—they’ve just avoided doing it.

They’ve known the product line wasn’t profitable. That manager hasn’t been performing. That lease is killing cash flow. But they hold on, hoping things will turn around on their own.

Here’s the problem: problems rarely solve themselves. And time won’t heal what strategy hasn’t fixed.

Fix: Make hard decisions early. If something feels off, investigate it. If someone isn’t pulling their weight, address it. Leadership is about action, not avoidance.

4. Assuming Marketing Is the Magic Bullet

Let me be clear—marketing is important. But if your business model is unclear, your pricing is off, or your product doesn’t meet market demand, no amount of paid ads or clever content will fix it.

I’ve had clients spend tens of thousands on agencies, consultants, and social media managers, only to end up in worse shape—because they skipped the strategy. They were sold on the myth of easy marketing instead of doing the foundational work.

Fix: Build your marketing around your business strategy—not the other way around. Without a strong core offering, marketing becomes a money pit.

5. Refusing Outside Help Until It's Almost Too Late

This one’s personal. I’ve had conversations with business owners who’ve said:

“We should’ve called you six months ago.”

But pride got in the way. Or fear. Or just being overwhelmed.

I’m not here to judge—I’ve been there myself. But you don’t have to hit rock bottom before you ask for guidance.

There’s no shame in hiring a guide. In fact, it’s one of the smartest investments a business owner can make. That’s how you stop the bleeding and rebuild momentum.

Fix: Ask for help before you need it. Bring in an outside strategist—not just a cheerleader, but someone who will tell you the truth and give you a real path forward.

6. Operating Without a Clear Strategy

Most struggling companies don’t have a roadmap—they have a to-do list.

They’re busy. Meetings. Marketing. Operations. But ask where they’re going next quarter, and it’s anyone’s guess.

Without a documented, adaptable strategy, you’ll always be reacting instead of leading. You won’t know how to scale. You won’t know what to cut or where to invest. And your team won’t know how to prioritize.

Fix: Strategy isn’t a once-a-year activity. It’s a living document. Revisit your business plan quarterly. Adapt. Evaluate. Reprioritize. That’s how you drive strategic business growth—not by accident, but by design.

7. Trying to Do Everything Themselves

Entrepreneurs are problem-solvers by nature. But in crisis, that mindset can become a liability.

Trying to wear every hat—sales, operations, HR, marketing—leads to burnout and missed opportunities. You can’t grow if you're buried in busy work. And you definitely can’t turn a business around by yourself while keeping up appearances.

I’ve worked with leaders who were brilliant—but exhausted. Once we redistributed tasks and put systems in place, the business had room to breathe—and grow.

Fix: Delegate. Automate. Outsource. Focus on the decisions only you can make. Everything else can be handed off with the right systems in place.

8. Losing Touch with the Customer

If you haven’t talked directly to a customer in months—or years—you’re running on outdated information.

Markets shift. Expectations change. What worked two years ago may not work today. Yet some business owners keep pushing the same product or service, wondering why sales are soft.

Want to fix your business? Start by listening to your customers again.

Fix: Build regular customer feedback loops into your operations. Conduct surveys. Call past clients. Get uncomfortable. The answers are out there—you just have to ask.

9. Confusing Activity with Progress

Just because your team is busy doesn’t mean the business is growing.

One of the costliest mistakes I see is mistaking motion for momentum. Meetings for strategy. Posts for purpose. A full schedule for effective execution.

Real progress is measured in results: sales, margin, market share, satisfaction. Not vanity metrics.

Fix: Review what activities drive the highest ROI—and ruthlessly cut what doesn’t. Free your time for the few things that truly move the needle.

10. Not Being Honest with Themselves

This is the toughest one to face.

If your gut has been whispering that something’s wrong—listen. Denial is not a business strategy. You can’t afford to sugarcoat when your livelihood is on the line.

A business turnaround starts with truth. Honest analysis. Open eyes. And the courage to course-correct without ego.

Fix: Do a hard audit of your business. What’s working? What’s broken? What are you pretending not to see?

If you can’t answer those questions clearly, don’t wait. That’s what people like me are here for.

My Thoughts: The Turnaround Starts Now

If any of these mistakes sound familiar, you’re not alone—and you’re not too far gone. But don’t wait until your business is gasping for air before you act.

The most successful turnarounds I’ve led all had one thing in common: a business owner who was ready to face the truth and take action. No fluff. No excuses. Just real change.

If your sales are flat…
If your team is stuck…
If you feel like you're running in circles…

Let’s fix it.

I help business owners like you rebuild profitability, recover from setbacks, and create a sustainable path forward. It starts with a conversation.

📞 Ready for a turnaround?
Schedule a complimentary strategy session with me.
Because you’ll wish you met me sooner.