The Art of the Pause: Using Growth Plateaus to Propel Your Business
Growth plateaus are an inevitable challenge for many business owners. They’re often met with resistance or denial, but these periods can actually serve as pivotal moments for sustainable success. In Episode 158 of The Fierce Factor Podcast, I discussed the importance of recognizing and addressing growth plateaus. This article will explore the reasons behind these plateaus, how to identify them, and effective strategies to navigate through them successfully.
Identifying and Understanding Growth Plateaus
Growth plateaus often manifest in subtle ways—complacency, declining patient satisfaction, or a gut feeling that something isn’t quite right. These plateaus can be intentional (a welcomed pause to re-examine things) or unintentional, resulting from factors like operational challenges or understaffing. The key is to recognize these signs early and take action. For instance, a thriving aesthetic practice may hit a plateau due to unanticipated operational issues, or a business may face a temporary slowdown after expanding its team.
Recognizing these patterns early is the first step toward re-energizing growth and aligning with long-term goals before it’s too late.
Signs of an Impending Plateau
If you haven’t experienced a growth plateau in a while, be on the lookout for these signs:
- Sales Growth Leading to Complacency: Complacency can creep in when sales are growing on autopilot, leading to a lack of innovation and improvement.
- Declining Customer Satisfaction: If customer feedback isn’t being measured or is declining, it’s a sign that something needs to be addressed.
- Instincts of the CEO: Trust your instincts. If something feels off or you’re not passionate about the direction of your business, it’s time to reassess and make necessary changes.
Recognizing these signs early on is essential for making the necessary adjustments that will drive your business forward. Growth plateaus should not be viewed as setbacks but as opportunities to pause, reassess, and strengthen your business’s foundation.
Managing Growth Plateaus
To effectively navigate a growth plateau, adopting three key mindsets is crucial: anticipation, acceptance as a growth opportunity, and deriving value from the business-building process. Anticipation involves planning and preparing for future growth, accepting means learning from mistakes and evolving, and deriving value focuses on the fulfillment and joy of building a sustainable business, not just on revenue generation.
Removing the stigma associated with slow growth is vital. Embracing strategic growth, as opposed to hurried expansion, leads to a more joyful, fulfilling, and sustainable business journey. If you’re hesitant to slow down, consider what you need to reach the next level—whether it’s a mentor, a strategic advisory team, or internal development. Sometimes, the most powerful move is to nurture your brilliance, allowing you to gain the clarity needed to create the future you envision.
I always like to think of it as “playing chess instead of checkers”.
Strategies to Break Through and Reignite Growth
- Refocus Your Vision
Plateaus often signal that your current strategies or priorities are no longer fully aligned with your ultimate goals. Use this moment to reassess your mission and vision. Are they driving the results you want? Instead of relying on broad frameworks like SWOT analysis, focus on defining clear, measurable objectives and outcomes. This approach keeps your team aligned and focused on what truly matters, ensuring every decision drives meaningful progress. - Invest in Learning and Mentorship
Growth plateaus can stem from feeling stuck in old habits or lacking fresh perspectives. Break through by investing in targeted education and mentorship that address specific pain points. Look for programs or advisors who specialize in the challenges you’re facing—whether it’s team building, operational scaling, or leadership mindset shifts. A great mentor doesn’t just provide answers; they challenge you to rethink assumptions, confront blind spots, and take actionable steps toward your vision. Share this growth mindset with your team to foster collective innovation. - Streamline Operations with a Purpose
Plateaus often reveal operational inefficiencies that can drain resources and stifle progress. But it’s not just about fixing processes—it’s about rethinking them to align with your core vision. Are bottlenecks holding back your team’s potential? Are outdated workflows limiting customer satisfaction? Streamline with a focus on reducing friction, enhancing team efficiency, and improving the client experience. - Develop and Empower Your Team
Your team is your most valuable asset during times of growth stagnation. A plateau is an opportunity to focus on equipping them with the skills and autonomy they need to take ownership of key initiatives. Provide targeted training to close skill gaps and prepare team members for leadership roles. Adjust your mindset to view delegating as a growth strategy, not a relinquishment of control. When you create a culture of trust, accountability, and shared vision, your team becomes a driving force for overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities. - Track Only What’s Relevant
Growth isn’t about measuring everything—it’s about focusing on what truly matters. For example, if client satisfaction is a priority, track actionable feedback and response times in addition to survey results. Regularly revisit these metrics with your team to ensure alignment, refine strategies, and celebrate progress. By narrowing your focus to what’s truly impactful, you can drive meaningful, sustained growth.
Strategic pauses are essential for long-term success. Growth plateaus are not failures—they’re opportunities to realign, innovate, and strengthen your foundation. Slowing down to reevaluate allows you to avoid burnout, create a resilient team, and ultimately build a business that brings joy and fulfillment.
Learning from Unintentional Growth Plateaus
Growth plateaus aren’t just about revenue stagnation — they’re about profit margins narrowing and sustainable growth being impacted. By using these periods to rebuild your business foundation, you can ensure long-term success without compromising profitability.
To break through a growth plateau, focus on internal growth and development. This means building systems, developing management, and training your team to drive the business forward. Strategic pauses are essential for sustainable success—embrace them, plan for them, and use them to build the business of your dreams.
The Next Right Step
Strategic growth is the cornerstone of a joyful, fulfilling, and sustainable business journey. But growth doesn’t always mean doing more—it often means pausing, reflecting, and asking yourself what’s truly needed for the next chapter. Do you need a mentor to guide you? A strategic advisory team to challenge you? Or perhaps a stronger internal team to carry your vision forward? Sometimes, the most transformative step is giving yourself the space to nurture your brilliance, uncovering the clarity needed to shape the future you’ve been dreaming of.
That’s why I’m thrilled to invite you to The ALT Experience—a groundbreaking two-day event designed for women in aesthetics and wellness who are ready to connect, grow, and intentionally build a legacy business. This in-person experience offers everything you need: comprehensive tools, strategic insights, and actionable frameworks to help you lead with purpose and confidence. Whether you’re optimizing operations, scaling for growth, or aligning your team with your vision, ALT is your opportunity to step into your full leadership potential and lay the foundation for a legacy business.
Learn more about ALT and secure your spot before tickets sell out!
For further support and inspiration, consider joining our POP Aesthetic Leadership Academy. This 12-month business incubator is designed for female leaders in aesthetics and wellness, offering over 50 business trainings, world-class coaching, and a supportive community.
Final Thoughts
Growth plateaus are a natural and necessary part of the business cycle. They offer an opportunity to reassess, refocus, and realign your strategies with your long-term goals. By embracing these periods and viewing them as opportunities for growth, you can build a more resilient, sustainable, and successful business. Remember, strategic pauses are not setbacks—they’re the foundation for your future success.
If you’re inspired by the strategies discussed in this blog, consider subscribing to The Blueprint, the official KLC Consulting weekly newsletter. Curated specifically to support, educate, and encourage powerhouse female entrepreneurs in aesthetics and wellness, The Blueprint is your go-to resource for staying ahead in your business journey.
About Kaeli
Kaeli Lindholm is CEO of KLC Consulting and Founder of the POP Aesthetic Leadership Academy, a 12 month business development incubator for women in aesthetics and wellness who are seeking to unleash their superpower through their business, team, and personal brand. Her mission is to help 1,000 inspiring and intentional women cross the next million dollar milestone in their business.
Featured as a Forbes Top 10 Inspiring Women Business Leaders to Watch in 2023 and a USA Today Top 10 Business Leaders Driving Innovation in Their Industries to Watch in 2024, Kaeli & KLC Consulting is trusted as the go-to leadership advisor by hundreds of seven and eight-figure aesthetic and wellness practice owners.
Widely recognized as a brand revisionist, Kaeli believes achieving ‘category of one’ success requires taking a differentiated approach. Her coaching and academy programs bring unique perspectives that challenge the very construct of business success. Paired with significant revenue growth, clients describe the benefit of working with Kaeli as “game-changing”, “both guide and exceptional partner”, and “provides value well beyond monetary measurement!”