The Most Dangerous Assumption Business Owners Make

The Most Dangerous Assumption Business Owners Make

“Assumptions kill momentum. You don’t need more answers — you need better questions.” — Darlene M. Ziebell

INTRODUCTION

In every struggling business I’ve turned around, there’s always one common thread.
It’s not the market.
It’s not the employees.
It’s not the product.

It’s the assumptions.

Assumptions about what customers want.
Assumptions about what’s “working.”
Assumptions about why sales are slow, or why that team member is underperforming, or why this quarter “just wasn’t the right time.”

Let me be blunt: the most dangerous thing you can do as a business owner is operate on outdated, untested assumptions.

And most of you are doing it — without realizing it.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the top assumptions I see every day, why they’re so dangerous, and what to do instead if you want your business to not only survive — but thrive.

1. “If it worked before, it’ll work again.”

This is the comfort trap.

You had a successful product launch in 2022. You ran a marketing campaign that worked like magic last year. You had a record-breaking Q1 once, and you assume you’ll bounce back if you “just stay the course.”

But markets shift. Buyers evolve. What worked before doesn’t guarantee results today.

Warning signs you’re stuck in this assumption:

• You resist changing your offer, pricing, or message

• Your team says, “We’ve always done it this way”

• Sales are dropping, but you're doubling down on the same approach

What to do instead:
Every quarter, reevaluate what’s working. Don’t rely on history — rely on data.

2. “My customer already knows what I offer.”

Do they? Or are they just assuming, too?

I once advised a service company whose most loyal clients had no idea they offered additional services. They were sitting on hundreds of thousands of dollars in upsell potential — completely untapped.

Here’s why this assumption is costly:

• People only remember a fraction of what you tell them

• They associate you with the first thing they bought

• They won’t explore unless you guide them

Your fix:
Communicate. Remind. Reposition. Don’t assume they know — tell them what else you do, how it helps, and why they need it now.

3. “People just don’t want to spend money right now.”

This assumption is everywhere in a slow economy.

“My customers are tightening their budgets.”
“No one’s buying right now.”
“It’s just the market.”

But when I look closer, I usually find one thing: they’re still buying — they’re just not buying from you.

Here’s what’s really happening:

• Your offer isn’t urgent

• Your value isn’t clearly communicated

• You’ve stopped selling and started assuming

Truth: In every economy, money moves — just not toward unclear, generic, or low-priority solutions.

4. “My marketing is fine. We just need more of it.”

This one’s a trap.

You’re posting. You’re running ads. You’re paying a marketing team.

So when leads don’t convert, you assume you just need more volume.

But here’s what I’ve seen in dozens of strategy audits:

• Wrong audience targeting

• Messaging that doesn’t address the buyer’s pain

• No real call to action or urgency

More of the wrong message won’t fix the problem — it just amplifies it.

Audit before you scale. Always.

5. “I know what my team needs.”

This one often comes from well-meaning leadership. You’ve built your business from the ground up. You know your people. So you assume you know what they need to succeed.

But have you asked them?

I’ve worked with CEOs who were shocked to discover:

• Their team felt confused by priorities

• High performers were planning to leave

• Support staff felt unseen and undervalued

Assumption kills communication.

Want to know what your team really needs? Don’t assume — ask them.

6. “I already know my numbers.”

I hear this all the time:

“I’ve got a good feel for the business.”
“I check my bank account every day.”
“Our accountant has that.”

But gut instinct isn’t a growth strategy. And I’ve walked into businesses with 7-figure revenue that didn’t know:

• Gross vs. net profit margins

• Customer acquisition cost

• Lifetime customer value

• Burn rate or cash runway

If you can’t quote the core KPIs of your business — you’re operating blind.

7. “No one else can do it as well as I can.”

This is the bottleneck assumption. And it’s one of the most damaging.

You believe:

• Only you can close the deal

• Only you can write the proposal

• Only you can manage that client

So you keep holding onto tasks that keep you in the business instead of growing it.

And what happens? You burn out. Your team stalls. Your growth flatlines.

Let go. Train someone. Delegate. Empower. Your company can’t scale if you’re the ceiling.

8. “If I just work harder, this will turn around.”

No. It won’t.

You can’t outwork a broken model.
You can’t hustle your way out of dysfunction.

I’ve seen business owners put in 70-hour weeks and watch their companies sink anyway. Why? Because they kept doing more of what wasn’t working — instead of stepping back to do something different.

Hard work matters. But only when it’s paired with strategy.

Sometimes the smartest move isn’t to work harder. It’s to stop, assess, and change direction.

9. “I’ll know when it’s time to get help.”

Will you?

Or will you wait until:

• Cash flow is strangled

• Your best team member quits

• Your biggest client leaves

• You’re two quarters away from closing your doors

I’ve never been hired by someone who said, “Wow, I asked for help too early.” But I’ve heard plenty of:

“I wish I had called you sooner.”

Don’t wait until it’s a crisis. Be proactive. That’s how businesses stay ahead.

10. “I’ve already tried everything.”

This is the most dangerous assumption of all — because it shuts the door on possibility.

I’ve helped businesses come back from lawsuits, bad press, failed launches, employee theft, and near bankruptcy.

And every time, it starts by challenging this mindset.

No, you haven’t tried everything.

You’ve tried everything you know.
Now it’s time to bring in someone who’s walked this road before — and knows how to lead you through it.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

Business is not just about doing — it’s about thinking.

And when your thinking is clouded by assumptions, you’re not running a business — you’re running a risk.

Here’s what I want you to do right now:

✅ Write down three things you believe to be true about your business
✅ Ask: “What data supports this? When was the last time I tested it?”
✅ If you can’t answer — that’s your red flag

Assumptions are silent killers. But once you see them, you can dismantle them — and unlock the growth that’s been waiting on the other side.

📅 Ready to challenge your assumptions?
Let’s break them down — and rebuild smarter.
Book a private strategy session:
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