3 Real Reasons Why Your Startup Is Not Growing (And How to Fix It)

You’ve been grinding on your startup for years.

❌ But nothing’s working.
❌ Nothing sticks.
❌ It feels like you’re running on a treadmill, and not moving forward.

I’ve been there. And after coaching over 50 startups and building two of my own, I’ve seen the same 3 mistakes that kill startups again and again.

So, let me show you the 3 real reasons your startup isn’t growing, how to fix them - and how to finally get unstuck, so you can grow your startup faster.

Let’s dive in.

OK, real talk. Most startup founders try to do everything.

→ One day it’s creating content.
→ The next day it’s sending cold emails.
→ Then a new feature, a landing page, a new pricing idea, a new growth hack they saw on Twitter.

It feels productive, but none of it really grows their startup. They are running at full speed in the wrong direction.

And here’s why:
Because they don’t know what growth actually looks like for them.

So if I asked you right now:

What would you say?
If you don't have an answer, you’re not alone.

But that's exactly the problem: When your goal is unclear, everything feels important. So you do everything and get nowhere. Here’s how to fix that:

✅ Pick one clear, measurable goal.
Not 10. Not 3. Just one.

And this could be as simple as:
"We want to get 1,00 new active users by December."

Or:

"We want to grow revenue by 20% this quarter compared to last quarter."

And once you know exactly what growth looks like for your startup, you figure out how to get there and how you can measure it.

For example, if you want more revenue, you could try to increase the average order size or improve your website to get more people to buy. So you clearly know what to focus on to get closer to your goal.

And the beauty of that is that you can skip all of the other stuff that is just noise. Because everything you do brings you closer to your main goal.

So here’s what I want you to do if you haven't done it already:

And then ask yourself:

What are the 2–3 things I can improve to reach that goal?
That’s how you stop running in circles.

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Before we move on to the next reason your startup isn’t growing …
if you’ve ever felt stuck and didn’t know the next steps in your startup - I’ve got something for you. 

My Overwhelmed Founder’s 6-Step Startup Plan. It shows you exactly where you are in your startup journey - and what to focus on next, without all the noise.

So instead of guessing, you’ll know exactly what to do to actually grow your startup. So click the button below and download the startup plan right now.

Quick pop quiz.
If you want to build a successful startup, should your product ...

1. Try to do everything
2. Do just a few things really, really well

Yes, exactly.

✅ Just a few things. Really well.

But here’s what happens with most founders - and I’ve seen this so many times. They start very focused and build a great product that solves one very specific problem. But then someone says:

→ "Hey, can you add this?"
→ "Why don’t you support that?"
→ "Your competitor does this too …"
‍
And before they know it, they’re building feature after feature after feature and try to make everyone happy. But instead of more customers, they get less.

But why is that?

It’s like going to a restaurant that serves sushi, tacos, burgers, and pasta. You just know none of it is going to be that great.

And the same goes for your startup.

Here’s a simple framework so you can solve this issue. And I recommend you fill it out and put it on your wall so you always remember it.

• We help [target audience]
• Achieve [outcome]
• Without [pain point]

Try it right now in your head. For example if you offer a meditation app you could say:

"We help busy professionals relax during the day without stepping away from work for too long".

And here is the big advantage when you get super focused:
Everything gets easier.

✅ Your landing page gets sharper.
✅You know exactly what features you should build.
✅ Your customers actually understand why they should buy.

So, let me ask you this:

If not, use the framework to make it crystal clear who you help and what problem you solve.

Now this one is sneaky. It's one of the most common reasons startups don't grow because it's counterintuitive.

When you ask most founders what growth means, the first thing that comes to their mind is:

→ "Getting more customers".

So they

✅ Do ads
✅ Post on LinkedIn
✅ Try cold emails... and so on.

And they get a few customers, lose a few, get a few, lose a few.
Does that sound like growth to you?
More like surviving, right?
‍
So here’s what the best startups do differently to grow:
👉 They focus on keeping the customers they already have.

And there is a simple reason for this:
Getting new customers is expensive – it takes a lot of time and money.

But keeping customers basically means delivering real value and improving your product. Stuff you’re probably already doing.

And here’s another bonus: When customers are happy, they don’t just stay - they tell their friends and family. That’s free marketing.

So the question is how do the most successful startups keep their customers? Here’s a little secret most founders don’t even know:

So when someone signs up, give them what they came for immediately - that’s how you keep them. And that first win is the AHA Moment - when they think:

"This is exactly what I needed".

Remove that.
More people will start using your product - and stick with it.

Here’s a big bonus tip to help your startup grow. Many founders fall into this trap – and I’ve made the same mistake.

They wait ...

❌ ... until the product is "ready".
❌ ... until every feature is perfect.
❌ ... until everything is polished.

They build in silence.

And when they finally release it, they don't get any customers.
Nobody’s watching.
Nobody’s waiting for them.

Big mistake.  

Now, what if you flipped that?
What if you started sharing your journey as you build?
‍
Like, ...

✅ ... the things you’re struggling with.
✅ ... what you’re learning.
✅ ... what you’re trying next.

You don’t need to go viral. You just need a few people who are paying attention, who care about what you’re doing.

Because here is the kicker:

That’s how you create an early community, and that’s how you build trust. And it doesn't matter if you are launching your startup or just a new feature.

Tell people what you are working on early on, start showing your work and build your community as you grow.

You now know the top 3 reasons your startup isn’t growing and how to fix them. But hey, if you’re still struggling - how about a proven 4-step framework that’s already helped 50+ startups and billion-dollar companies build a marketing strategy to get new customers?

You can get it in my Marketing Channel Bundle. And best of all - you can achieve results in just 3 hours, thanks to smart AI prompts that guide you through every step with ease.

So click the button below and get the Marketing Channel Bundle right now!