When the Problem Isn’t the Business - It’s the Business Owner!

Sometimes, the real issue with your business isn’t external at all - it’s communication, attitude, and the inability to listen or adapt to what people want.

In every business journey, there comes a point where growth slows, challenges increase, and frustrations rise. Often, business owners blame external factors e.g. the market, competitors, employees, or even luck.

But in many cases, the real problem lies much closer to home...

It’s NOT the business model that’s broken. It’s NOT the staff that’s failing, It's the owner’s communication, attitude, and unwillingness to listen or adapt that’s holding the business back.

When the Leader Becomes the Limiter

As a business mentor, I’ve seen countless situations where employees, customers, and even suppliers can clearly see where the challenge lies,  but the business owner can’t.

Sometimes, they simply don’t realise they’ve become the bottleneck.

Other times, they know change is needed but struggle to accept that they are the one who needs to change.

It’s painful to watch a small business that’s been built with passion, long hours, and personal sacrifice start to unravel because its leader can’t or won’t evolve.

But here’s the truth: the way you communicate, the way you lead, and the way you listen directly impacts your company’s culture, morale, and performance.

Helping the Unaware

So, how do you help someone who doesn’t see that they’re the problem?

You can’t bulldoze them with honesty, that rarely works. You risk damaging relationships or losing their trust entirely. Instead, you need to guide the conversation carefully and respectfully.

Here are some top tips for dealing with a non-listening business owner OR for recognising these traits in yourself:

1. Use Their Success as a Starting Point

Instead of contradicting them, connect your ideas to their achievements.Say something like: “That was a great result from our last campaign. To build on that momentum, I was thinking we could…”

By linking new ideas to past wins, you lower their defences and shift the focus to growth rather than criticism.

2. Steer the Conversation Gently

When there’s a pause, guide the discussion toward progress.

“I can see how proud you are of that success, it’s well-deserved. I’d like to add a related idea that could help us move forward on…”

This approach shows respect for their experience while subtly encouraging new thinking.

3. Focus on Outcomes, Not Opinions

Frame suggestions around results:

“If we try this, it could help us achieve that sales target faster,”or“This might save the team time and reduce mistakes.”

You’re not challenging them, you’re collaborating on a shared goal.

4. Listen to Understand

Sometimes, what looks like arrogance is insecurity. Many business owners carry immense pressure to succeed and fear failure more than they’ll admit. Listening with empathy helps you tailor your approach and earn trust.

5. Provide Relatable Examples

Share a story or real-world example they can relate to. Sometimes, when the lesson isn’t about them directly, the message lands more effectively. The penny drops.

6. Know When to Stop

You can guide, support, and encourage - but you can’t force change. If the resistance remains, you may need to step back. A private, honest conversation might be needed, or you might need to assess whether the relationship is sustainable long-term.

The Toughest Part of Mentoring

As a mentor, this is one of the hardest challenges to navigate. You want the best for your clients. You see the potential. You care deeply about their success.

But sometimes, the most professional and ethical thing to do is to be honest, even if it means risking the relationship.

I’d rather lose a client than watch them lose their business, their people, or their personal investment because no one had the courage to tell them the truth.

Final Thoughts

Growth starts with awareness. The moment a business owner becomes open to feedback, listens to those around them, and commits to changing their own behaviour, that’s when the real transformation begins.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being willing to learn, adapt, and grow alongside your business.

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Robert Durrant High-Performance Business Mentor & Coach

Robert Durrant Business Mentor, Leadership Growth, Mindset Matters, Business Coaching, Small Business Tips, Leadership Development, Emotional Intelligence, Business Mindset, High Performance Leadership, Entrepreneur Mindset, Mentor Insights, Personal Development, Growth Mindset, Business Transformation, Professional Advice, Honest Business Advice, Trusted Advice, business mentoring for small business owners, leadership mindset coaching, how to deal with difficult business owners, business owner communication problems, improving leadership and self-awareness, business growth through better leadership, why my business isn’t growing, business coaching and mentoring advice,  how to talk to stubborn business owners, leadership development for entrepreneurs