Your best business move? Doing less, not more for business optimization
Adobe
Want to build real strength? I don't mean getting big and bulky. I mean farmer strong.
All you need are hips and shoulders.
As a strength coach for 12 years, I kept simplifying training to what mattered most. The key? Compound movements that engage your body's two main "engines":
- Hips – Your primary power source. Strength here translates everywhere.
- Shoulders – Your secondary engine. Strength here stabilizes and extends power.
You don't need a dozen exercises. Two will work. A simple deadlift and press can build incredible strength. But simplicity is hard to believe—most assume strength must be complicated.
Now, the business optimization lesson: Every successful business has one or two key products or services that drive its success. Yet many leaders get distracted by 'good ideas' that absorb time, energy, and money.
I evaluated a business for a buyer. Their best-known product accounted for 95% of their sales, yet they spent their marketing budget on a product that made less than 1% of revenue. Their retail space was full of slow-moving inventory. They treated their core product as "just another option"—when it was the only option customers really wanted.
I recommended buying the business. Why? It was undervalued due to the seller being distracted. By simply clearing out the clutter and focusing on what worked, the new owner could dramatically increase revenue and profits.
How to identify the real engine in your business for better business optimization
Focus on what works and make it work better.
I once worked with a nonprofit that offered a range of services for a fee. Two of those services were in high demand and made up 75% of their revenue, yet they struggled financially. Why?
- One was underpriced by 25% – compared to the market.
- In the other, the staff were only 50% productive – compared to industry norms.
Instead of chasing new revenues or grants, all they had to do was price correctly and improve efficiency. Those changes would make a nearly immediate seven-figure difference – with almost no new overhead.
Want strength in your business? Optimize what works
- What's working? – Identify the one or two things that work the best in your business.
- Are you pricing it right? – Too many businesses undervalue their best offer.
- Are you maximizing it? – Before adding new ideas, optimize what's already working. On average, my clients are able to make a 20% or better improvement financially just by improving how they offer what they offer.
Business optimization comes from focusing on what moves the needle. Don't chase distractions—double down on what works.
 | Christian Muntean is a seasoned expert in fostering business growth and profitability. With a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and certifications as a Master Coach, Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), and International Mergers & Acquisitions Expert (IM&A), he guides entrepreneurial leaders through growth, succession planning, and exit strategies. He is an accomplished author of three books, including Train to Lead. Christian resides in Anchorage, Alaska, with his family. Learn More » |
More on Leadership Development & Discipleship
- The art of adapting: staying fresh in your leadership (by Scott Cochrane)
- Choices and the will of God (by Jordan Raynor)
- From mourning to mission (by David Bowman)
- Communicating to a new member (5 essential tips) (by Mark MacDonald)
