Economy
Top 6 Tips for Growing a Successful Small Business
Launching and sustaining a business idea is not all flowers and roses, as many think, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can be part of the success rate.
How to Make Your Small Business Successful
While the idea of starting and growing your own business can be thrilling and super exciting, you must understand that it is a challenging endeavour. Practically anyone can set up a business; all you need is to fill out some paperwork, create a logo and some banners, and offer a legit service or product. However, making your business successful is another ball game entirely. Sustaining a successful small business depends on many factors and requires you to possess a specific mindset. You must be able to apply the right strategies and ideas to specific situations at the appropriate time.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 25 per cent of startups sustain for up to 15 years, while the remaining 25 per cent collapse before the first 5 years. This statistic shows that most entrepreneurs fail to understand what it takes to sustain a business before starting one. Do you want to stand above the fierce competition in the business world and be among the success rate? I bet the answer is yes! Well, this article will explore helpful tips and strategies to make your small business successful.
Conduct in-depth research on your product or service
One common error most people make is starting a business on the product or service they have in mind without researching how well it’ll sell. As you are planning to start up your business, you must understand that your love for an idea of a product or service doesn’t mean people want to buy it.
To avoid failure in your startup, you must conduct in-depth research on the service or product you want to offer with respect to how many people want it in the market. Talking to several of your target customers about your product and analyzing how they feel about it instead of guesswork will give you a clear picture of your business’s likelihood of success. Also, ensure to check out how existing businesses with similar models are doing in the market.
Know Your target customer
Running a business based solely on your personal values and ideas is why many startups fail today. Yes, you have chosen to offer a product or service with a good prospect; however, a critical factor for your success is to know who your target customers are. Even established businesses that get this wrong usually end up sliding down the slope.
To sustain a successful small business, you must gather enough information about how big your target audience base is and what their features are. For instance, you must know their age range, demographics, and personas. Also, you must know what influences their buying decisions. This will not only help you reach and convert them effectively but retain them even after they become your customers. Remember, a thriving business is one that understands what its customers want.
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Offer great service
While it’s great to consider several other factors, you must understand that the core element of your business is the quality of the product or service you offer. It is one thing to get customers to patronize your business; it is another to offer them outstanding service and a great customer experience. The latter will help convert your one-time visitors into loyal customers.
An essential ingredient to a successful small business in this highly competitive environment is generating enough positive word of mouth. A sure way to achieve this is by offering professional service to your customers. More than brand promotion, your customers singing your praises and turning into your brand ambassadors is one of the most effective ways to grow as a small business.
Study your competitors
Every business has competitors, and you should be worried if you don’t find any around you. A lack of competitors in a market may mean a lack of demand for the product or service it offers. Since your primary goal is to ensure that your target customers choose your small business over your competitors, it’s imperative that you stand above them by researching the competition around you.
When you find your competitors, you must find out who they are, their strengths and weaknesses, their customer reviews, and their results. You must also ask yourself which of them stands out and which of them are out of business. This information will enable you to make informed decisions that will keep you above the competition in your market, no matter how fierce it is. You’ll easily be the first choice of your target audience when they find that your business offers more value where others are lagging.
Cut unnecessary costs
Another common mistake many small businesses make is the lack of proper cash management by spending on unnecessary things. This has sent many small businesses packing in their early days. Cash management is vital, especially when you have just launched your business and have a lot to spend on. Hence, it is important to have a budget for each of your expenditures and stick to it to avoid running into debt.
Here are some helpful financial tips for your small business:
- Cut unnecessary subscriptions
- Get a cheaper supplier for your products
- Downsize to a smaller space if necessary
- Charge late-payment fees from customers
- Review your expenses regularly
Be focused and passionate
Finally, the most important personal traits vital to the success of your small business are your focus and passion. These will drive you towards achieving your goals no matter what challenges arise. Before reaching your big goals, you need to be satisfied with short-term goals and milestones. Know that sustaining a business is not a sprint but a marathon, so you must be patient.
Also, you must be passionate about your business to make it a success story. You must not for once be distracted from why you started the venture in the first place. Passion will always keep you on your feet. It may take you more time than you might spend working for someone else, and you might even sacrifice fun weekends and vacations, but it will be worth it in the end.
Conclusion
Rome wasn’t built in a day is a saying that applies to your small business. Launching and sustaining a business idea is not all flowers and roses, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can be part of the success rate. Don’t forget to visit Parimatch for a fantastic betting experience.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Crude oil deliveries from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery doubled in March, boosting prospects for improved fuel availability.
This was revealed by the chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Mr Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday, when he received the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mrs Amina Mohammed, at the industrial complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
While speaking on feedstock supply, Mr Dangote commended the NNPC for increasing crude deliveries to the refinery in March, noting that volumes rose to 10 cargoes—six supplied in Naira and four in Dollars—to support domestic fuel availability, according to a statement by the Refinery.
“Last month, they gave us six cargoes for Naira and four cargoes for Dollars,” he said.
Despite the improvement, Mr Dangote noted that the supply remains below the 19 cargoes required for optimal operations, with the refinery continuing to bridge the gap through imports from the United States and other African producers.
He also expressed concern over the unwillingness of international oil companies operating in Nigeria to sell to the refinery, stating that their preference for selling crude to traders forces it to repurchase at higher costs, with broader implications for the economy.
Mr Dangote added that the refinery is seeking increased access to domestically priced crude under local currency arrangements as part of efforts to moderate fuel costs and enhance long-term energy and food security across the continent.
On her part, Mrs Mohammed underscored the strategic importance of Dangote Industries Limited -particularly Dangote Fertiliser Limited—in addressing Africa’s mounting food security challenges, while calling for stronger global partnerships to scale its impact.
Mrs Mohammed said the United Nations would prioritise amplifying scalable solutions capable of mitigating the continent’s food crisis, describing Dangote’s integrated industrial model as a critical pathway.
“I think the UN’s job here is to amplify and to put visibility on the possibilities of mitigating a food security crisis, and this is one of them,” she said. “I hope that when we go back, we can continue to engage partners and countries that should collaborate with Dangote Industries.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved a 50 per cent hike in the X-Alert service fee per transaction in the Nigerian capital market.
The X-Alert fee is a flat rate charged for sending real-time SMS/email notifications for transactions to investors from both buy and sell sides.
It was introduced by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) to replace percentage-based charges, aimed at increasing transparency and reducing total transaction costs for investors.
Investors were earlier charged N4 per SMS, but the country’s apex capital market regulator has approved a 50 per cent increase in X-Alert service fee, meaning the new rate is N6 per SMS.
Business Post gathered from one of the players in the ecosystem that the effective date for the new price was Thursday, March 26, 2026.
“We wish to inform you of a revision to the X-Alert (SMS) service fee applicable to transactions executed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
“Following approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the X-Alert fee has been reviewed upward from N4.00 to N6.00 per transaction,” the notice sighted by this newspaper read.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s economy is projected to remain resilient in the face of mounting global uncertainties, with the World Bank forecasting a 4.2 per cent growth rate in 2026.
However, the global lender has warned that rising fuel costs and persistent inflation, worsened by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, could undermine household incomes and slow poverty reduction.
Speaking in Abuja, the bank’s lead economist for Nigeria, Mr Fiseha Haile, noted that while the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict has pushed up prices, overall economic activity has remained largely intact.
“Overall business activity has been expanding over the past few months, suggesting the impact on growth has been relatively contained. But the shock is still being felt through higher inflation,” Mr Haile said.
According to him, business activity has continued to expand in recent months, indicating that the broader impact on growth has been “relatively contained,” even as inflationary pressures intensify.
Nigeria’s inflation rate, though significantly reduced from around 33 per cent in December 2024 to 15.06 per cent in February 2026, remains elevated compared to regional peers.
“Inflation is still elevated and under increasing pressure, and that poses risks to incomes and poverty reduction,” Mr Haile said.
The renewed surge in fuel prices, reportedly rising by over 50 per cent during the Iran conflict, has had a ripple effect on transportation, food, and production costs, amplifying the cost-of-living crisis.
The World Bank urged Nigerian authorities to adopt prudent macroeconomic measures, including tightening monetary policy, avoiding blanket subsidies, and saving windfalls from higher oil prices to strengthen fiscal buffers.
It also recommended reconsidering restrictions on fuel imports as a potential tool to ease inflationary pressures.
The economic reforms under President Bola Tinubu — including the removal of fuel subsidies, exchange rate unification, and tax restructuring — were acknowledged as ambitious steps aimed at stabilising the economy.
These reforms have contributed to improved external buffers, with rising foreign exchange reserves and reduced volatility.
Additionally, Nigeria’s fiscal deficit stood at 3.1 per cent of GDP in 2025, while the debt-to-GDP ratio declined for the first time in a decade.
Yet, the World Bank cautioned that tighter global financial conditions could still pose risks to capital inflows, borrowing costs, and remittances.
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