10 Biggest Business Fails Every Entrepreneur Should Know

Alla Chernets -

According to Statista:

In 2020, the average lifespan of a company on Standard and Poor's 500 Index was just over 21 years, compared with 32 years in 1965.

Want to increase your business's chances of survival? Avoid these common pitfalls that can lead to an early demise! 💀

Here are some key factors that contribute to a startup's short lifespan.

Keeping a badly optimized website

Slow and steady doesn't win the race - optimize your website today!

According to an E-commerce Foundation report, Global B2C e-commerce sales reached $2.1 trillion in 2018.

Overall, the statistical data point to 88% of consumers browsing the info on products online before deciding on purchase or going to the store.

The website, its graphics, its logo location, and its optimization define how the customer will perceive the pricing and the info on your service, and it will move the needle.

Solution✈: Invest in creating an appealing site and keep it professionally optimized. Your business must have the best place to live.

Step 1: Monitor Performance Metrics

To keep your website optimized, it's important to regularly monitor performance metrics such as page load time, bounce rate, conversion rate, and search engine rankings.

Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Pingdom to monitor your website's performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Step 2: Update Content and Software Regularly

Regularly updating your website's content and software is essential for maintaining optimal performance.

It also means creating fresh, high-quality content that keeps visitors engaged and encourages them to return. Consider implementing a content calendar to help plan and schedule future content updates.

Step 3: Optimize Images and Media

Optimizing images and media on your website can greatly impact page load times and overall user experience.

Make sure to compress images using tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel, and consider using lazy loading to delay the loading of non-critical assets until they are needed.

Step 4: Minify Code and Use Caching

Minifying code and utilizing caching can help drastically improve your website's load times.

Minification involves removing unnecessary characters from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files to reduce their size, while caching allows frequently accessed files to be stored locally, reducing the number of requests made to your server.

Tools like Gzip and Brotli can help minify code, while caching solutions like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache can help improve load times by storing frequently accessed files locally.

Failing to prepare yourself to sell

Entrepreneurs are wired to identify problems and develop solutions.

However, this can sometimes lead to idea overload, where they spread their energy too thin by pursuing multiple concepts simultaneously.

While it's great to have a lot of ideas, it's essential to remember that focusing on just one or two can help us achieve success faster and more efficiently.

Solution✈: Choose the concept you will create as a cornerstone of your business and make your legacy.

To avoid getting sidetracked, try these practical tips.

Validate your idea

Before investing time and resources, validate your chosen concept through market research, customer feedback, and competitive analysis.

Set clear goals and objectives

Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your cornerstone concept. Break them down into smaller milestones to track progress and stay motivated.

Prioritize ruthlessly

Focus on the most critical tasks that support your cornerstone concept. Learn to say "no" to non-essential activities, even if they seem appealing. Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks based on importance and urgency.

Avoid shiny object syndrome

Stay focused on your core concept, and don't get distracted by new, trendy ideas that may divert your attention. Keep your eyes on the prize and avoid chasing after every bright opportunity that comes along.

Monitor progress regularly

Track your progress toward your goals. Celebrate milestones achieved and reassess your strategy if you're falling behind.

A lack of agility

A lack of agility in business can be dangerous because it can prevent companies from quickly adapting to changes in the market, leading to missed opportunities and lost revenue.

To avoid this, businesses should:

  • prioritize flexibility in their operations and be willing to pivot strategies when necessary
  • encourage a culture of innovation and experimentation, allowing employees to test new approaches and learn from failures
  • leverage technology to streamline processes and enhance responsiveness.

Solution✈: Leaders should foster collaboration across departments and levels of the organization to facilitate communication and decision-making.

Failing to stay accountable

Not scoring 100% every time is acceptable, but setting a goal to stay 100% accountable is still a must-have.

Solution✈: Make accountability a driving force for your business improvement.

  • Set clear goals and expectations upfront. This includes defining specific objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and timelines.
  • Implement a system of accountability within the organization. This could include regular check-ins, progress reports, and peer reviews. For example, team members could be required to submit weekly progress reports to their manager or participate in daily stand-up meetings to discuss their accomplishments and challenges.

Not striving for upscale of your business

You should dedicate your efforts not simply to owning your company but working on growing it. It is possible only if the entrepreneurs refuse to handle everything independently.

False belief in the rule of 'nobody can do it better than me' traps entrepreneurs in addressing minor issues.

Unless you find someone who can replace you at least 80% you will feel stuck in the tedious business routine without any visibility of expansion.

Solution✈: Build your team by investing in its training because it means you grow your business in the long run.

Not separating personal and business finances

Keeping everything in one place seems like a nice idea, but sometimes it is just not. Separating money issues even in case you start as solopreneur is crucial.

It will help you track your business expenses, determine what tax procedures you must know well, and plan effectively.

Entrepreneurs relying on personal credit to run their businesses will likely fall into a debt trap.

In case you treat and run your venture like a full-scale business separate from your personal credit history, you get a chance for growth of business credit and creation of your own business identity.

Solution✈: Having a separate business and checking account will also better shield you from damaging your credit score if your business takes a nosedive in the future.

Not setting a clear budget for your business


Having the rough budget is better than having no budget at all because in the latter case you are one step closer to failing.

Estimating the venture cost and income is essential for forecasting the financial future of your business.

As a founder and manager, you will lead your business to generating profits, and the only way you can do it is by setting the budget limit for operating, marketing, customer support and other expenses.

In this case, you can maintain financial health and distinguish the profit and cash flow targets to prevent any kind of business nosedive.

Solution✈: Defining the costs and concentrating on the budget forecast enhances financial discipline and clarifies the targets for you and your team.

Repeating 'follow-your-heart' mantra

You expect to finally do what you love once you reply to the call for freedom in decision-making and start your business.

One of the entrepreneurs' most displeasing experiences is that passion is insufficient for success.

Instead of the anticipated 'follow-your-heart' miracle, they suddenly have to learn quickly and become a full-time accountant, marketer, recruiter, sales manager, and expert in dozen more fields with all the deadlines meaning that time is ticking not in their favor.

Solution✈: Build your resilience and expand your skill set.

Lacking personal branding

skill set

Though building a consuming cycle might be the final result we keep in mind when building a business, consuming itself is not the core value.

What we appreciate when we buy is the experience, and its essential part is the brand that a seller presents. People buy from people.

We want to see behind the scenes, even with huge corporations reigning now. We want to know whom we buy from.

It is especially easy in the digital era, as it takes a click to profile anyone or anything.

For businesses, it is crucial to articulate what they promote and stand for.

Solution✈: The entrepreneur has to be a storyteller as it is the sure way to differentiate yourself in your field, and it is in the business interests that this story was well-thought of.

Thinking tactically rather than strategically

You will never achieve long-lasting success if you base your decisions on momentous thinking.

The prospective of immediate profit does not always mean the victory. If you build your venture by relying on 'taking one step and whatever', you might be one misstep from leading your business to shut down.

Solution✈: Remember that your executive excellence comes second after careful planning.

Concluding Thought

As we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of e-commerce and business management, it becomes evident that agility, technological adoption, and ethical business practices are not merely trends but necessities for sustained growth and competitiveness.

Businesses that recognize and adapt to these imperatives are more likely to thrive in a dynamic market environment.

Investing in digital optimization, team development, and strategic planning, while also maintaining a strong ethical foundation, will be key determinants of success.

As entrepreneurs endeavor to scale their operations, the importance of clear financial management, personal branding, and strategic over tactical thinking cannot be overstated.

Ultimately, the confluence of these factors will shape the future of successful business practices in the digital age.