3 Questions To Help You Create Business Clarity

You know you need to work ON your business, not just IN it.

The question is: HOW?

You're drowning in the day-to-day. You know you need to think strategically, but when you finally get an hour, your brain's too fried to know where to start.

I've seen this with business owners for years (i've even done it myself!) - they finally carve out time to "work on strategy," then spend two hours moving things around on a to-do list and achieve precisely nothing. Because they don't have a structure to work from.

This framework gives you that structure.

Three questions I use with my client - whether they're booking a one-off Power Hour or we're working together long-term. It works for businesses turning over £50K and businesses turning over £5M, because it forces you to focus on what's real, not what you think you should be doing.

And no, these aren't just basic fluffy reflection prompts. They're strategic questions that create actual clarity on your next move.

Finding Business Clarity

Before You Start: Set Yourself Up Properly

Don't do this exercise squeezed between meetings or with one eye on your phone.

You need:

• 2 hours of uninterrupted time (minimum - take longer if you can)

• Somewhere you won't be disturbed (not your usual workspace if possible)

• Something to write with (pen and paper often works better than typing - forces you to slow down and think)

• No distractions (phone on silent, laptop closed unless you need it for this)

If you can't block 2 hours right now, schedule it. Treat it like a client meeting. Make it non-negotiable.

I know you've got twelve things that feel urgent right now. But here's what I've learned from working across retail and hospitality for over 20 years: the businesses that grow aren't the ones working the hardest. They're the ones that regularly create space to think - they don't wait until they magically have time.

You wouldn't skip paying your suppliers because you were too busy. Don't skip this because you're too busy either. It's that important."

Ready? Let's go.

Question 1: What Actually Moved My Business Forward Recently?

Why this matters:

Most of us are busy all the time but often we can't tell you what's actually creating results, making it hard for us to have business clarity. This question forces you to separate activity from progress.

When I ask clients this question, most of them go quiet for a bit. Because they realise they're working their arse off but can't actually pinpoint what's creating results. They're posting, planning, running around - but they haven't connected activity to outcome. So if thats you - it's totally normal!

How to answer it:

Look back at the last 12 months and ask yourself:

What created real results?

Not what kept you busy. Not what felt productive. What made an actual difference to your business and bottom line?

Focus on outcomes, not activities:

• ❌ I posted on Instagram 3 times a week (activity)

• ✅ Instagram Reels brought in 15 new customers (outcome)

Write down 3-5 things that genuinely moved the needle. Be specific. "Marketing" isn't an answer. "The email I sent about our new autumn menu generated £2K in bookings" is an answer.

What you'll realise:

Most business owners discover they're spending time on things that aren't creating results - and that something they did casually worked better than things they agonised over. If you're struggling to identify 3-5 things, that's your answer. You're busy, but you're not making measurable progress.

Question 2: What Would Make the Biggest Difference in the Next 6 Months?

Why this matters:

If you have ten priorities in your business right now, you're actually telling me that you have none. This question forces you to choose ONE thing that would unlock everything else.

How to answer it:

Ask yourself: If I could only focus on ONE area that would make the biggest difference, what is it?

Not "grow the business" or "get more customers" - those are outcomes, not focus areas.

I'll give you an example of what this looks like in practice. I worked with a retail business where the founder kept saying "we need to grow revenue." Okay, but that's not a focus area. When we dug into it, the real issue was positioning - they were attracting price-sensitive customers when they needed to be seen as premium. Once we fixed positioning, revenue followed. But if they'd just focused vaguely on "growing revenue," they'd have wasted six months on the wrong things.

Your ONE thing is probably the uncomfortable thing you've been avoiding. The thing that feels hard or expensive or scary. That's usually a sign you've found it.

Think structure, brand, customer experience, product offering, team, positioning, financial visibility. The thing that, if you fixed it, would make everything else easier.

Write down the ONE thing. Be brutally specific.

Not "improve our brand" but "develop a clear visual identity and brand messaging that reflects our premium positioning."

What you'll realise:

You've probably known what needs doing for months but haven't admitted it. You've been busy with easier, less important things to avoid the hard stuff ( I see you). If you can't narrow it down to one thing, that's often because you need clarity first. In that case, "getting strategic clarity on direction" might be your one thing.

Question 3: What's Stopping Me From Doing That Thing?

Why this matters:

Most business owners know what needs doing. They just don't do it. This question forces you to name the real obstacle so you can actually address it.

How to answer it:

Look at the ONE thing you identified in Question 2. Now ask: What's really stopping me from doing this? Not the polite answer. The actual answer.

The most common obstacles are:

• TIME - I don't have the bandwidth

• MONEY - I can't afford to invest right now

• CLARITY - I don't know exactly what to do

• CONFIDENCE - I'm not sure it'll work

• SUPPORT - I'm doing this alone and it's exhausting

  
  

Write down the real reason. Not the professional answer - the honest one. Then ask: "What would it take to remove this obstacle?"

And be honest here. If your answer is 'I need help' - whether that's strategic input, accountability, or someone who can see what you can't see - that's not a failing. That's just reality. Some obstacles you can remove yourself. Some need external support. Both are fine

Examples:

• If it's TIME: What could I stop doing? What if I blocked one day a month as non-negotiable?

• If it's MONEY: What's the minimum viable version?

• If it's CLARITY: Who could help me get clear?

• If it's CONFIDENCE: What evidence would I need?

• If it's SUPPORT: What kind of support would actually help?

What you'll realise:

The obstacle isn't as fixed as you thought. And you probably need external help - whether that's accountability, strategy, or just someone in your corner.

What to Do With Your Answers (The Next 30 Days)

If you've worked through these questions properly, you now have three things most business owners don't:

1. Clarity on what's actually working (so you can do more of it)

2. Focus on what matters most (so you stop spreading yourself thin)

3. Honesty about what's in the way (so you can address it, not avoid it)

Now here's the hard part. Making it stick.

Your next steps:

Within 24 hours: Share your answers with someone. A co-founder, a fellow entrepreneur, your business coach, someone who'll ask "right, so what are you going to do about it?" Not someone who'll just say "wow, well done for doing the exercise." Someone who'll hold you to it.

Within 1 week: Take ONE action toward removing your obstacle. Not the whole thing - just one concrete step. If it's TIME, block your first CEO day in the calendar. If it's CLARITY, book a call with someone who can help you get clear. If it's MONEY, work out the minimum viable version.

Within 1 month: Make measurable progress on your ONE thing. Not finished - that's unrealistic. But visibly further forward than you are right now.

Right. You've done the work. You know what's working, what matters most, and what's stopping you.

But here's where it usually falls apart.

You feel energised for about 48 hours. You're buzzing with clarity. Then Monday arrives. The urgent stuff kicks off. You're back in the weeds. And six weeks later, you realise you haven't touched that ONE thing you identified. The clarity you had? It's sitting in a notebook somewhere gathering dust. I've watched this happen dozens of times. Not because people aren't committed. Because clarity without structure just evaporates.

The businesses that actually grow aren't the ones that do this exercise once and feel good about it. They're the ones that make it a rhythm. Monthly space to work ON their business that's properly non-negotiable.

That's what we're tackling next: how to make this stick. Keep reading: How to Actually Make It Happen →

Or if you've already realised you need proper support to make this happen, ask the hard questions and help you see what you can't see - Get in touch and we'll chat it through with you.

Missed part one? Read How to Work ON Your Business When You're Drowning in the Day-to-Day ←