How Businesses can Prepare for Inevitable Change

Right now, the real estate market is super hot in many parts of the country. (But, totally cold in other sectors.) Currently, builders are experiencing huge disruption due to fast-rising material prices, especially lumber. Meanwhile, take-out restaurants are flourishing in some areas, while others barely hang on. This picture looks like chaos from a distance but it represents the manifestation of the old saying, “the only constant is change.” And, that’s always a threat — or blessing — to businesses. So, read on to learn more about how to prepare for inevitable change.

The Change Conundrum

When real estate prices rise steeply, people remodel their homes instead of buying. Others take advantage of the market and downsize to capitalize on their equity position. But, it also causes first-time homebuyers to stay out of the market until prices stabilize. When food prices rise, restaurants must make changes to their menus. Of course, higher food prices means fewer sales as people stay home and cook themselves.
In today’s ever-changing and often-chaotic business environment, it is imperative for successful organizations to understand how to make change work when everything is changing. These massive changes now require a bold-new paradigm shift away from traditional approaches to how to manage change, to innovative approaches to view organizations as “organisms” with flexible resources, cohesive teams, connected networks, and clear flat structures that can endure in the most turbulent times. —Houston Business Journal
The obvious point here is that when change occurs, some businesses benefit, while others suffer. Right now, the disruption caused by the pandemic and shutdowns, along with re-openings, are causing huge changes. The good news is that businesses that prepare can not only survive, but thrive.

3 Ways Businesses can Prepare for Inevitable Change

Fortunately, the current environment won’t continue on forever. Lumber prices will fall, inflation will rise, and other economic circumstances will also change. Businesses that recognize what’s going on take action to adapt and can actually make it through or grow by doing the following:
  • Accept reality. Lumber won’t always sell for the price it is now. Home prices will continue to rise, but not at such a rapid clip. Inflation won’t always be a significant factor. In other words, businesses can’t expect the present climate to go on and on and on forever. So, look at what’s on the horizon and don’t procrastinate. Instead, accept reality for what it brings and you’ll be able to cope much better.
  • Plan for change. Once you accept what is changing (or will change in the future), it’s time to start planning to make it through the transition. Think strategically and prioritize what’s most important. This provides a great opportunity to streamline and improve operations.
  • Alter operations incrementally. Speaking of operations, unless you fully expect things to change massively, don’t alter your way of doing business profoundly. Rather, make small, incremental changes to adopt to the changing times so you can always roll things back, if necessary.
What other suggestions do you have? Please take a few minutes to comment and share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your perspective. It just might help someone in a big way! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Like this article?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Linkdin
Share on Pinterest

Related Posts

How Gomez Tire Grew Revenue 60% While Bracing for Tariff Pressure

.elementor-widget-text-editor{font-family:var( –e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif;font-weight:var( –e-global-typography-text-font-weight );color:var( –e-global-color-text );}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:var( –e-global-color-primary );}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap, .elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-default .elementor-drop-cap{color:var( –e-global-color-primary );border-color:var( –e-global-color-primary );} A Family Tire Business Ready to Scale By 2022, Gomez Tire had outgrown the systems that got it there. Demand was climbing, the shop floor was full, and co-owners Alex and Robert Gomez knew that raw hustle alone wouldn’t get them to their next milestone: a $5.2 million revenue target by 2025. What they needed wasn’t more hours in the day — it was a stronger operational foundation. “Hiring John and his team has been a game changer for our company. Their expertise and guidance over the last year has helped build a stronger foundation for the future growth of our company. They have been extremely helpful in developing practical operation strategies that have been helpful and effective. More importantly, they have provided us clarity on our operations like we’ve never had before.” — Alex and Robert Gomez, Co-Owners, Gomez Tire Growth That Outpaced Its Own Infrastructure Gomez Tire, a Phoenix-area tire and automotive services company, engaged Waters Business Consulting Group in 2022 during a period of rapid growth that was beginning to strain cash flow and operations. The brothers were juggling pricing decisions without full visibility into margins, uncertain about their true break-even point, and stretched thin trying to run day-to-day operations while also thinking strategically about the business’s future. Beyond the numbers, growth was creating people problems. The team needed clearer expectations and more consistent communication, and the company was short a commercial technician just as demand for larger commercial accounts was increasing. On top of it all, tariff-driven cost increases on tires loomed on the horizon, threatening to squeeze margins further unless the company got proactive about inventory and purchasing. Building Structure Around the Growth Waters Business Consulting Group worked with the Gomez brothers to build the financial and operational scaffolding their growth demanded. That started with a rigorous look at historical financials and the construction of forecast models that gave the owners, for the first time, real predictability around revenue and cash flow. From there, the engagement expanded into nearly every corner of the business: defining position descriptions and performance metrics so accountability wasn’t a guessing game, instituting regular team meetings to reinforce standards, and mapping out staffing needs — including the long-sought commercial technician — to match the pace of growth. On the inventory side, WBCG helped the team think proactively about tariff exposure, guiding decisions to sell down existing stock and plan inbound containers strategically rather than reactively. The consulting relationship also touched harder, more personal decisions. WBCG helped facilitate family conversations about roles and accountability, evaluated whether a satellite location was still financially justified, and analyzed the financial case for a move into a larger facility — one with the warehouse and shop space to support the business the Gomez brothers were building. The Results: Real Growth, Real Margins The numbers tell the story. From 2020 to 2022, Gomez Tire’s revenue grew roughly 36% while gross profit jumped about 63%, a sign that the business wasn’t just getting bigger — it was getting healthier. That momentum continued: by 2022 the business was generating $2.50 million in revenue and $914,000 in gross profit at a margin near 36%. Two years later, in 2024, revenue had climbed past $4.0 million and gross profit had grown to roughly $1.7 million, including nearly 30% year-over-year growth from 2023 to 2024 alone. Along the way, the team closed an underperforming satellite location to sharpen focus on central operations, captured an $80,000 tire order through a national vendor relationship, and rolled out a new operations app to modernize day-to-day workflows. Just as importantly, the Gomez brothers now have a financial model that tells them where the business stands — and where it’s headed — instead of navigating growth by instinct alone. Ready to Build Your Own Growth Plan? Rapid growth can feel like a good problem to have — until it strains your cash flow, your team, and your sanity. If your business is scaling faster than your systems can support, a fresh set of eyes can help you build the structure to grow profitably and sustainably. Contact Waters Business Consulting Group to schedule a free consultation.

Read More »
Coronavirus illustration

Coronavirus Presents an Opportunity to Teach Your Children about Business

The legend of the Sword of Damocles is a reminder that power always comes with a price — and running a business during a pandemic has made that lesson painfully real. As uncomfortable as this moment is, it’s also a rare chance to teach your kids about the ups and downs of ownership using real, relatable examples. Here are three business lessons worth passing on right now.

Read More »
Businessman stock photo

Business Owners Thinking about Switching to a 4-Day Workweek Here’s What You Really Need to Know

The 4-day workweek keeps making headlines, and it’s easy to see why—shorter hours sound like a win for everyone. But before you consider making the switch at your own company, you need to weigh the real advantages against the less obvious downsides. From productivity gains to potential scheduling headaches, here’s what you actually need to know before changing your workweek.

Read More »

Imagine Selling Your Business…

How Would Your Life Change?

You didn’t start your business just to stay busy—you built it to create freedom, security, and options for yourself and your family. Selling your business can be life-changing, but the real question is whether you’re intentionally building toward that outcome or simply leaving it to chance.

Sign up below for a free consultative session to learn what your business could be worth today and in the future! 

Thank you for your interest in learning what your business is worth. We will be in touch shortly.