{"id":3675,"date":"2026-06-05T17:13:40","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T16:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=3675"},"modified":"2026-06-05T17:14:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T16:14:35","slug":"identify-useful-growth-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/identify-useful-growth-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"How to identify useful growth opportunities for your business"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/growth-customers\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Growth &amp; Customers<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to identify useful growth opportunities for your business\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWant to grow your business? From market penetration to diversification, here are four proven growth strategies\u2014and how AI, the right data, and the right team help turn ideas into results.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-05T17:13:40+01:00\">5 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to identify useful growth opportunities for your business\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/identify-useful-growth-opportunities\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/pauloriordan\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/02\/PaulORiordan_v2-1-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Paul O&#039;Riordan<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/keirthomasbryant\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair.jpg 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Keir Thomas-Bryant<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Growth is a tricky business. Companies must continuously strive to identify new growth opportunities to achieve long-term business success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why it is essential for your business to develop fresh insights that will ultimately help to generate ideas that the competition has failed to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This fascinating subject is what we cover in this article, as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-ideas-are-the-lifeblood-of-business\" data-level=\"2\">Ideas are the lifeblood of business<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#market-research\" data-level=\"2\">Start with market research<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Four-growth\" data-level=\"2\">Four growth strategies: the Ansoff Matrix<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#market-penetration\" data-level=\"3\">Market penetration: existing products, existing markets<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#market-development\" data-level=\"3\">Market development: existing products, new markets<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#product-development\" data-level=\"3\">Product development: new products, existing markets<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#diversification\" data-level=\"3\">Diversification: new products, new markets<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#make-ai\" data-level=\"2\">Make AI and data part of your process<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#build-team\" data-level=\"2\">Build the right team<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#eye-finances\" data-level=\"2\">Keep an eye on your finances<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ideas-are-the-lifeblood-of-business\">Ideas are the lifeblood of business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ideas range from big and audacious to small and modest, and they\u2019re the lifeblood of a business, so none should be dismissed out of hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes a small change of angle is all it takes to turn an idea into a viable proposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Investing in a robust process for the \u201cfront end of innovation\u201d\u2014the early work of generating and shaping ideas\u2014improves both the quality and quantity of the ideas you produce, and keeps everyone involved engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So how do you turn those ambitious ideas into real growth opportunities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"market-research\">Start with market research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first step is to draw up a shortlist of competitors, and market research is invaluable here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more you learn about your competitors\u2014what they sell, where, and to whom\u2014the clearer your picture of whether you\u2019re competing in the same space, or missing growth opportunities they haven\u2019t spotted either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modern research goes well beyond a spreadsheet of rivals: digital tools, customer reviews, social listening, and search data all help reveal what people actually want and where the gaps are. (More on putting AI and data to work below.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Four-growth\">Four growth strategies: the Ansoff Matrix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you understand your market, it helps to think about growth systematically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most enduring tools for this is the Ansoff Matrix, developed by Igor Ansoff in 1957. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It maps four growth strategies against two variables\u2014your products and your markets, each either existing or new\u2014ranging from lower to higher risk. (Don\u2019t forget to work out how you\u2019ll manage that growth, too.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"market-penetration\">Market penetration: existing products, existing markets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Increasing market penetration is probably the least risky growth approach\u2014though risk is always relative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s considered lower risk because you\u2019re dealing with known factors: your existing products and your existing markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The watch-out is complacency. If you\u2019re blind to changes around you, such as new products and services from competitors, you can miss your customers\u2019 changing needs and end up losing ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"market-development\">Market development: existing products, new markets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Market development means selling your existing products into new markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It carries more risk than market penetration, because expanding into a new market can involve investment with no guarantee of a profitable return. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But because you\u2019re using existing products, there are no product development costs, which helps to keep the risk in check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"product-development\">Product development: new products, existing markets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes called product or service innovation, this means introducing something new to the customers you already have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It takes investment of time and money, and you may need to train staff so customers get the best advice on the new product. The key is in-depth knowledge of who your customers are and what they need\u2014focusing on existing customers lets you learn what offering will land best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And not every new product or service demands significant capital investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"diversification\">Diversification: new products, new markets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Diversification is generally seen as the riskiest strategy: new products and new markets at once, so you have no experience of either the product or the customers likely to buy it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The upside is first-mover advantage\u2014if no one has met this need before, you can establish yourself as the leader well ahead of the competition, which usually lets you charge a premium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"make-ai\">Make AI and data part of your process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whichever strategy you choose, base your decisions on solid data rather than gut feel. It markedly improves your chances of success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What has changed since this article was first published, back in 2018, is how much data is now within reach of even small businesses, and how much of the analysis can be automated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI tools, in particular, can take on a lot of the heavy lifting at the front end of innovation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Market and competitor research: <\/strong>summarising reports, tracking competitors and pulling together a market picture far faster than doing it by hand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customer insight: <\/strong>analysing reviews, support tickets, surveys and social media to surface the unmet needs and recurring problems that point to opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Idea generation and testing: <\/strong>acting as a sounding board to expand, refine and pressure-test ideas before you commit resources to them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Forecasting: <\/strong>modelling demand, pricing and cash flow scenarios so you can compare your options with more confidence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are two cautions, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, AI works best alongside real conversations with customers, not instead of them\u2014the tools surface patterns, but judgement and direct contact still decide what\u2019s worth pursuing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Second, your insight is only as good as your data, so it\u2019s worth getting your underlying numbers\u2014sales, costs, customer information\u2014clean and in one place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Good accounting and business software makes that far easier, and increasingly comes with built-in analytics and AI features of its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"build-team\">Build the right team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even the best growth strategy needs the right people behind it. As you grow, you may need to recruit to handle the extra demands. But don\u2019t just fill the skills gap. Look for people who will thrive in your culture and add to it, not only those who tick the technical boxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hiring has changed in recent years. Many roles are now hybrid or remote, which widens your talent pool well beyond your local area, but also means thinking harder about how culture, communication and collaboration work across a distributed team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skills shortages in several sectors have made the strongest candidates harder to find and keep, so it pays to be clear about what makes your business a good place to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But recruitment is only half the picture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Put people-management practices in place to retain both new and existing staff, so you grow together as a team rather than churning through hires. And don\u2019t overlook the talent you already have: with the current pace of change\u2014AI included\u2014upskilling and developing your existing team is often quicker and cheaper than hiring from scratch, and it helps people feel invested in where the business is heading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"eye-finances\">Keep an eye on your finances<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve got plans on the table to chase new opportunities, keep a close eye on your finances. As we\u2019ve covered, you may need extra funding to pay for the new products or services you\u2019re taking to a new market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make sure your finances are in good shape and stay on top of your cash flow. Keeping everything ticking along smoothly frees the business to focus on its goals for growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And remember: whether you\u2019re going for superfast growth or a slower, steadier path, the same thinking and planning still applies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The combination of sharp insight, sound data, the right team and healthy finances is what turns an ambitious idea into sustainable growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Growth doesn&#8217;t have to mean taking big risks or reinventing your business overnight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Often the strongest opportunities come from looking more closely at what you already have\u2014your existing customers, your products, your data\u2014and asking where the gaps are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ansoff Matrix gives you a framework for thinking about that systematically, and AI now makes it far easier to do the research and analysis that used to take weeks. Of course you can combine the two together easily by asking AI to apply the Matrix to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever direction you choose, the fundamentals stay the same: understand your market, back your decisions with data, invest in the right people, and keep your finances in good shape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The businesses that grow sustainably aren&#8217;t necessarily the boldest. They&#8217;re the ones that plan well, act decisively, and keep adjusting as they learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This article was first published in January 2018 and has been updated for relevance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">E-Book: Switching from Self Assessment to Making Tax Digital<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Worried about following MTD&#8217;s rules? This brief yet comprehensive guide explains what you need to know: How you do accounting now, and how you should do it in future.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-3b52a309-fae9-49fa-a235-03fc76c551a0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Get MTD for Income Tax: A Guide to Switching From Self Assessment<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1215\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1385092066-1215x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1385092066-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/grow-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to grow your business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/peter-jones-ambition\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPeter Jones ambition\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-31420 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers tag-grow-business tag-recruit tag-hr-processes-medium-businesses tag-hr-process tag-hr-payroll-benefits business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business business_type-accountants card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1169342765-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1169342765-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1169342765-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1169342765-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-22T10:57:27+01:00\">22 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">7 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/sme-workforce-pulse-how-to-recruit-for-an-expanding-business\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSME Workforce Pulse research &amp; how to recruit for an expanding business\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tThe latest SME Pulse data shows the East Midlands leading the UK on jobs and pay growth. Thinking of expanding there, or into any other new location? Here\u2019s how to choose well and hire well.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-31374 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers category-trends-insights tag-business-costs tag-business-performance tag-career-development tag-grow-business tag-work-life-balance business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/clinic-newport-trusts-tricia-jordan-built-maldiva-aesthetics-from-dream-to-reality\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media card-post__media--video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/Maldiva-Aesthetics-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Tricia Jordan of Maldiva Aesthetics\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/Maldiva-Aesthetics-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/Maldiva-Aesthetics-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/Maldiva-Aesthetics-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__play-video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"card-post__play-icon svg-icon\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 33 36\"><path d=\"M3.947.936C1.889 1.016 0 2.661 0 4.878v27.11c0 2.956 3.36 4.896 5.999 3.463l24.965-13.555c2.715-1.474 2.715-5.451 0-6.925L6 1.416a3.96 3.96 0 0 0-2.052-.48Zm.032 2.6c.232-.001.475.058.713.187L29.66 17.28c.986.535.986 1.774 0 2.309L4.692 33.144c-.952.517-1.999-.088-1.999-1.155V4.878c0-.533.261-.95.642-1.17.19-.11.411-.171.644-.172\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M5.25 3C3.74 3 2.5 4.24 2.5 5.75v12.5C2.5 19.76 3.74 21 5.25 21h14c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75V5.75C22 4.24 20.76 3 19.25 3zm0 1.5h14c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v12.5a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25h-14A1.24 1.24 0 0 1 4 18.25V5.75c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25m.25.75a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8.25 2.751A1.248 1.248 0 0 0 9 9.251v5.5c0 .442.231.849.613 1.074.389.231.846.237 1.239.021l5.001-2.751c.396-.219.646-.639.646-1.094s-.25-.876-.646-1.095l-.001-.001-5.002-2.751a1.25 1.25 0 0 0-.601-.153zM5.5 8.25a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8 1.423L14.731 12 10.5 14.328zm-5 1.577a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-20T12:33:13+01:00\">20 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">4 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThe Clinic Newport Trusts: How Tricia Jordan built Maldiva Aesthetics from dream to reality\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-30483 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-free-guides-templates category-people-leadership category-strategy-legal-operations category-trends-insights tag-business-performance tag-business-support tag-create-business-plan tag-grow-business tag-make-receive-payments tag-mtd-accountants tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax tag-payments tag-performance-management business_type-small-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/the-hidden-hours-behind-late-payments\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-607477465-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-607477465-684x384.jpg 684w, 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11.25v7C3 19.76 4.24 21 5.75 21h12.5c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75v-7c0-1.51-1.24-2.75-2.75-2.75h-3a.76.76 0 0 0-.537.216.74.74 0 0 0-.223.535.76.76 0 0 0 .223.535.74.74 0 0 0 .537.216h3c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v7a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25H5.75a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25-1.25v-7c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25h3a.76.76 0 0 0 .537-.216.74.74 0 0 0 .223-.535.76.76 0 0 0-.223-.535.75.75 0 0 0-.537-.216z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-19T11:24:18+01:00\">19 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThe hidden hours behind late payments\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-1545 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers tag-grow-business business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/10-steps-to-grow-your-customer-base\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563978-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563978-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563978-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563978-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-05T16:41:53+01:00\">5 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">6 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\t10 steps to grow your customer base\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-1543 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-free-guides-templates category-strategy-legal-operations tag-business-continuity tag-create-business-plan tag-grow-business tag-start-business business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/how-to-write-a-business-plan\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-740534235-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-740534235-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-740534235-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-740534235-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M11.988 2.989a.75.75 0 0 0-.739.761v10.689l-1.72-1.72a.75.75 0 0 0-.957-.099.75.75 0 0 0-.315.776c.031.146.104.28.211.384l3 3a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06 0l3-3a.76.76 0 0 0 .231-.533.74.74 0 0 0-.22-.538q-.108-.106-.247-.164c-.139-.058-.191-.057-.291-.056s-.198.022-.29.061-.174.097-.243.169l-1.72 1.72V3.75a.76.76 0 0 0-.22-.541.76.76 0 0 0-.542-.22zM5.75 8.5C4.24 8.5 3 9.74 3 11.25v7C3 19.76 4.24 21 5.75 21h12.5c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75v-7c0-1.51-1.24-2.75-2.75-2.75h-3a.76.76 0 0 0-.537.216.74.74 0 0 0-.223.535.76.76 0 0 0 .223.535.74.74 0 0 0 .537.216h3c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v7a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25H5.75a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25-1.25v-7c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25h3a.76.76 0 0 0 .537-.216.74.74 0 0 0 .223-.535.76.76 0 0 0-.223-.535.75.75 0 0 0-.537-.216z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-05T11:19:49+01:00\">5 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tFree template: How to write a business plan\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to grow your business? From market penetration to diversification, here are four proven growth strategies\u2014and how AI, the right data, and the right team help turn ideas into results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":511,"featured_media":3310,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[15,141],"business_type":[4,3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[71,73,74],"imagine_tag":[91,96,109],"coauthors":[464,369],"class_list":["post-3675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-grow-business","tag-peter-jones-ambition","business_type-small-business","business_type-medium-sized-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Paul O'Riordan","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/12\/GettyImages-547016975_super.jpg","imagine_tags":{"91":"Growing business","96":"Medium businesses","109":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/511"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3675"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3675\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30377,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3675\/revisions\/30377"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/3310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=3675"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=3675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}