Growth means change. Is that really what you want for your business?

Let’s talk about growth, proper pedal-to-the-metal growth.

Growth is an intoxicating idea. We celebrate it, encourage it, and at Melo, we actively help firms achieve it.

But here’s the thing. Growth isn’t just about strategy, planning, or ambition. It’s about change. And change is hard.

If what you have right now could get you to where you want to be, you’d already be there. The very fact that you’re considering growth means something fundamental needs to shift.

Keep reading to discover why growth means change and find out whether you’re ready to take the next step.

Be prepared to overcome resistance to change

When you sit in the boardroom mapping out your strategy, it all feels achievable. The potential is obvious, the plan is clear, and everyone’s in agreement.

But once you move into implementation, reality hits.

Suddenly, you’re navigating resistance from your team, unexpected operational challenges, and that nagging doubt in the back of your mind: “did I make the right decision?”

Financial planning is a people business. And people, quite often, do not like change. According to the Chartered Management Institute, 75% of UK employees resist organisational change, whether through outright opposition, disengagement, or simply struggling to adapt.

Worse still, transformation often leads to turnover. A 2023 UK survey by Personio found that companies undergoing major change see staff turnover rise by up to 25%. City and Capital Headhunters confirmed that the number one reason candidates come to them looking for a new role is, you guessed it, change.

Firms that have been acquired, scaled too quickly, or become “too corporate” often see employees leave. Not because the business is failing, but because it’s no longer the business they signed up for.

You may need to make tough decisions about your people

No one enjoys feeling like they’re letting people down. But if you’re serious about growth, you probably will.

Unless you’re Fred the Shred, you probably don’t want to upset anyone, so you’ll try to handle everything in the best way.

Perhaps your firm is not the right environment for certain people to thrive, or you take a different commercial path that doesn’t align with their career trajectory. Or maybe some people were perfectly suited to your old business, but they don’t have the right attributes to take you to that next level.

Either way, the toughest decisions you will have to make are regarding people, and if you’re planning to GROW, you’ve got to know you can handle that.

Now for the good news – there’s never been a better time to grow your financial planning firm

Right now, there is more opportunity for financial planning firm owners to grow than ever before. I could name 20 companies, Melo being one of them, talking on this topic.

We’ve got a wave of people exiting, access to amazing tech and AI, and circa 92% of the adult population are not currently receiving financial advice.

For those who want to grab this amazing opportunity, it’s there to be grabbed!

But that doesn’t mean you have to grow (foot down growth I might add, firms should always be progressing and growing in their own way). It’s not a requirement of success. However:

HAPPINESS IS A REQUIREMENT OF SUCCESS.

Here’s something you might not expect from a CEO who champions growth – it’s not for everyone, and that’s fine.

A large-scale change programme can be exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure. It’s entirely possible to have the best and worst month of your professional life at the same time.

If you don’t thrive in that environment, that’s not a weakness: it’s self-awareness.

I know some incredible one- or two-person firms that are generating significant profit. What’s interesting is that many of them went on a big growth journey, only to realise it wasn’t for them.

So, they scaled back, refocused, and built something that works for them. And they’re happier and more profitable for it.

Before you commit to a big growth strategy, ask yourself:

• Are you willing to lose some of the people who helped you get to where you are today?
• Can you handle the uncertainty, the setbacks, and the stress of change?
• Do you really want this or are you feeling external pressure to grow?

If the answer to these questions is “yes”, fantastic! Let’s get to work. But if you’re hesitating, that’s okay too.

There’s no single path to success. At Melo, we champion growth, but only when it’s the right growth for you.

Get in touch

If you’d like to find out how we can help you manage change like a boss and grow your business, we’d love to hear from you.

Drop us an email at hello@melo.co.uk or call us on 0113 4656 111.