Help – I’m Not Growing!

In 2017, I hit a wall.

For twelve straight years, my company, Just Between Friends Franchise System, experienced steady growth. Many of those years saw double-digit increases in top-line revenue. Our franchisees were thriving, their same-store sales consistently climbing, boosting average unit volumes across the entire system.

We felt unstoppable.
Until we didn’t.

It was late 2016 when Facebook Marketplace launched. At first, it was a small blip on my radar. Another online platform. Another place for parents to sell items. No big deal, I thought.

But by 2017, uneasiness started to creep in. Facebook Marketplace had deep pockets and sophisticated targeting. Their model directly competed with ours.

Here’s how it impacted us:

We sold children’s items on consignment. Consignors earned 65% of the sales, while the remaining 35% went to the franchisee to cover operational expenses and create profitability. But suddenly, parents could sell a stroller or Little Tikes kitchen on Facebook Marketplace, keep 100% of the proceeds, and get it out of their house immediately. They no longer had to wait weeks or months for one of our seasonal sales events to come around.

At first, it felt like a ripple.

Then came the wave.

Facebook Marketplace learned how to retarget shoppers who were searching for specific items. Our franchisees began to panic. Our shoppers were finding exactly what they needed online, and those big-ticket items – the ones we heavily marketed to drive traffic to our events – started disappearing from our sales floor.

By fourth quarter 2017, I saw the writing on the wall:
We weren’t going to grow that year. We were going to be down by 1%.

It was the first time in my 20+ year journey as a business owner that I had experienced a decline. Even during the Great Recession of 2008–2009, we had grown by leaps and bounds. But now, after twelve years of success in the franchise system, we were facing decline.

I wish I could tell you I handled it like a stoic leader.
But the truth is, I fell apart.

I felt like my world was crumbling. I felt like a horrible leader. I doubted myself deeply.
I cried.
I had a big, ugly pity party.
I wondered if I was cut out for this. If maybe my time as a founder and CEO had run its course.

But eventually, something shifted.

After the tears dried, I realized: I still believed in what we were doing. I knew the value we brought to families – the community, the savings, the opportunity to earn income on items sitting unused in closets. I knew we could compete, but only if we innovated.

So, we got to work.

I formed an advisory board of really smart people who could challenge me and offer fresh perspectives. We tapped into the brilliance of our franchisees, all 100+ of them, to hear what they were seeing, feeling, and innovating in their local markets.

Ideas started to emerge.

We optimized marketing.
We shifted messaging.
We adjusted operations to ensure consignors felt valued and saw the benefits of selling with us over an impersonal transaction to a stranger in a parking lot.

We fought for every bit of market share.

The Results?

Today, Just Between Friends Franchise System has been in existence for over 22 years.
We’ve had 18 years of growth and only two years of decline:

2017 – Facebook Marketplace’s rise
2020 – COVID (when gathering people at events was off the table)

I learned one of the most powerful leadership lessons in that season:

Stagnation is a choice.

Decline may happen because of external forces – the economy, competitors, pandemics – but staying stuck is always a choice.

“If You’re Not Growing, You’re Declining.” Is That Really True?

I’ve heard it said, “If you’re not growing, you’re declining.” At first, it felt harsh. But over time, I’ve realized the truth in it.

Here’s why:

1. Inflation Eats Away Margins.
   Even if your revenue stays flat, your expenses rise. Without growth, your profit erodes.

2. Competitors Innovate Faster.
   Staying the same while others improve creates a relative decline. Customers drift away to better options.

3. Your Team Loses Motivation.
   Humans crave progress. Stagnation breeds disengagement and turnover.

4. Market Relevance Fades.
   Industries evolve. Consumer expectations change. Brands that don’t grow become outdated.

5. Entropy Happens.
   Without intentional energy, systems decay. Processes falter. Culture declines. Excellence erodes.

What To Do When Growth Stalls

If you’re in a season where your business feels stuck, here are five strategies to break free:

1. Face the Data Brutally.
   Where exactly is growth stalled? Top-line revenue? Profit margins? Customer acquisition? Team performance? Don’t guess – diagnose.

2. Reconnect with Your “Why.”
   Why did you start this business? Why do your customers choose you? Reignite the core purpose that fuels growth.

3. Invite Outside Perspective.
   Create an advisory board. Hire a coach. Join a peer mastermind. You can’t see your blind spots alone.

4. Innovate Relentlessly.
   Ask: What are we doing because it’s always been done this way? What would we do if we were starting from scratch?

5. Lead with Courage.
   Growth requires making decisions with incomplete information. It demands courage to test, fail, learn, and iterate quickly.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or discouraged – I’ve been there. I know what it feels like to question your leadership, your vision, your worth. But I also know the power of pushing through.

As a Certified Franchise Executive, founder, and executive coach, I help founders and CEOs reignite growth, reimagine strategy, and lead with clarity and confidence.

Imagine what’s possible with the right guidance, accountability, and perspective.

If you’re ready to get unstuck and grow again,
Click here to schedule a clarity call with me today.

Shine On, Shannon