Growing too quickly.

Growing too quickly can be just as dangerous for a new business as moving too slowly. Expansion should only be done to meet the demand of the product, not simply for the sake of growth. It takes time, resources, and more, to develop a new brand or location, which takes away from the successful existing ones. For this reason, it is very important not to grow too quickly.

At times it is much better for the small business just to sit back and build up their capital, instead of borrowing money to try to grow too quickly. The rule should be quality over quantity… always. Make sure you provide the best possible service or product for your existing customers, and can do so for new ones before expanding.

Not staying ahead of the competition.

This should be right on the top of your list of things to do. If you don’t blaze the trail, then you are simply following others. One of the issues which can really hurt your business is not taking notice when a close competitor makes an announcement or launches a new product. If competition has a policy that makes it more convenient for your customers to do business with them instead of you, take notice. Always pay attention to the market and make adjustments to your business model. One of the benefits of being a small business owner is having the ability to easily adjust to new market conditions. Do not lose touch of that advantage because it could cost your business in terms of sales.

Not being careful with whom your hire.

Small business owners need to be very careful whom they hire and employ. Each person working for your business should benefit you in some way. Character and a willingness to work hard are sometimes more important than education, experience, or even pay scale. More often that not, the employees who have degrees and experience will slack off, feeling that they no longer have to work as hard. Pay very close attention to the new guy or girl at the bottom your organization.