Over the last decade, I’ve had the chance to work closely - on and off - with Nigel Botterill.
If you don’t know the name, Nigel is the founder of Entrepreneurs Circle, a business growth organisation that’s supported thousands of small business owners across the UK.
Over the past couple of decades, Nigel’s built nine separate million-pound businesses.
He knows what it takes to grow, and just as importantly, what holds most businesses back.
I’ve learned a lot from him over the years. But this year, in particular, one message from him has really stuck with me.
It’s a quote that now sits in pride of place on the boardroom wall of EC’s new offices:
“The worst thing a small business can do is think like a small business.”
And the more I hear him talk about it, the more it rings true.
Because when you look closely, small thinking is everywhere - and it’s rarely recognised for what it is.
It hides behind sensible language. It dresses itself up as caution. It often sounds like this:
“We can’t afford that.”
Surely, one of the most dangerous phrases in business.
Because it shuts the door. It stops the thinking.
And more often than not, it isn’t true.
The far better question is:
“How can we afford it?”
Because that’s the moment you stop thinking like the business you are … and start thinking like the business you want to become.
This isn’t about spending wildly. It’s not about big risks for the sake of it.
It’s about recognising the cost of staying where you are.
And that cost is often far greater than most business owners realise.
Over the years, I’ve found myself on both sides of this mindset. There have been moments when I leaned into growth - even when it felt like a stretch - and others when I hesitated.
Looking back, the biggest regrets aren’t about what I spent. They’re about the chances I didn’t take soon enough.
This same theme has come up again and again in our KBB ScaleUp Mastermind group this year, too.
Because once you spot it - this cautious, comfortable, quietly limiting way of thinking - you start to see how it creeps in. And how often it’s the only thing standing between a business and its next level of growth.
So, if you’ve ever found yourself saying, “We can’t afford that…”, maybe stop and ask:
What’s the real cost of staying where we are?
Because playing small might feel safe.
But over time, it’s almost always the more expensive choice.
PS - If this has got you thinking about what’s next for your kitchen business and how improving your marketing could help you grow faster, we’re always up for a no-pressure chat. Just contact us, and we’ll set something up.