Annual plans are created with good intentions and then reality takes over and the best laid plans fall to the way-side. Ultimately, the urgent crowds out the important. Quarterly planning forces a pause. An opportunity to step back from the day-to-day and look up, beyond the horizon. For many founders thinking deliberately about where the business is heading, and about what is working and what isn't, is where the value comes from.

Operating rhythm is one of the most overlooked systems in growing businesses. And often one of the most valuable.

Coupled with having a strategy, having a plan or process to effectively plan strategically is a key ingredient to business growth and success.

As revenues become consistent and the business becomes more tangible, not having a strategy is often the missing link between success and failure, or breaching the £1m ARR mark which is a much sought after milestone.

Despite the plethora of exciting businesses, the stats for successful start-ups don’t make for great reading, no matter what industry, region or ownership/investment.