Why Is My Business Busy, But Not Making More Money? Insights from a Business Coach

by Sean Foster | August 18, 2025  | Business Coaching

You’re constantly hustling. The phone’s ringing, new orders flow in, your team is flat out… but when you finally check the numbers, profits disappoint. Sound familiar?

Many Auckland SME owners feel this frustration: your business is ticking over, yet your wallet isn’t getting any fatter. Let’s break down why it happens, and how you can turn busyness into real profitability.

Quick Answers: Five Key Reasons Your Busy Business Isn’t Making More Money

• Poor pricing strategy
• The wrong (low-margin) work fills your time.
• Lack of systems breeds costly errors.
• Your team is busy, not productive.
• Strategy & a Lack of Accountability, starting with you.

1. Business Coaching Tip: Get your pricing right

Especially for newer businesses, the pricing of your product or service is often lower than that of your competitors. In some situations this makes sense. Does it really make sense in your situation? Afterall, if you are not generating the cashflow to expand to the next stage then you will have to question the logic of this approach.

For more established businesses, pricing is often undercooked because it is not reviewed or you ‘think’ you will outprice yourself compared to either your competitors or what your customers are willing to pay.

• Diagnose: Understand real market pricing. Understand what value your customers really see in your offering if you had to deliver it flawlessly.
• Action: Review your pricing quarterly and truly understand where your customers see value in your offering.

Want more? Grab your FREE eBook on Open Book Management for Auckland businesses: learn how visibility and transparency in your numbers can drive real profit.

2. Business Coach Advice: Low-Margin, High-Time Work Eats Profits

Not all work is good work. Filling your calendar with low-value projects means you’re working hard, not smart. Even in quiet periods it is tempting to take on low margin work. At first this may seem like a good choice, but at what cost?

• Diagnose: Which jobs drain your time but barely move the bottom line?
• Action: Use a client/job profitability matrix and say no to draining work and focus on what’s high return. Calculate your effective hourly rate and scrutinize when you are doing work, throughout your day, that is below this rate.

A local example: Many Auckland businesses find that small, “easy” jobs cost more than they bring in once overhead is factored in. Clean up your client list and your mindset, for instant wins.

3. Business Coaching Insight: Weak Systems = Wasted Money

If you’re the linchpin, or if only one staff member understands your processes, you’re risking mistakes, delays, and mounting costs as you grow.

• Diagnose: Are errors or “redos” costing hours each week?
• Action: Standardise and automate repeat tasks with affordable digital tools made for NZ SMEs. There may be some ‘no-brainer’ processes that could be easily systemized in your business, but from experience I have found that the business owner needs to first systemize some of their functions. That way they develop some practical experience in this process.
  

Check out this article on Systemization, it’s how to boost business performance in Auckland.

4. Business Coach Perspective: Your Team Might Be Busy, But Is It Effective Work?

There’s motion, but is there progress? If your team’s energy isn’t aligned with high-value activities, all that running around is just noise.

• Diagnose: Do you know which activities really drive profit in your business? Are staff measured on outcomes or just hours spent?
• Action: Map out profit-driving tasks and ensure every team member has clear, accountable priorities.

“80% of the Auckland SMEs I coach uncover at least one underpriced service in month one simply by auditing staff time and output.” 

Hint: Does your business run effective meetings? By structuring your standup meetings and having all parties contribute, you can drive accountability in the actions that matter most.

5. Business Coaching Strategy: Strategy& Accountability

Rapid growth can sink your business if you don’t plan for capacity, staffing, and financial bottlenecks. Are you scaling with your eyes closed? If you are, it is likely that you have an ineffective strategy and are lacking accountability towards an effective strategy.

• Diagnose: Is your growth aligned with your ability to deliver, bill, and collect cash? Have you created a clear strategy for the business going forward?
• Action: Set quarterly growth goals based on capacity, don’t chase “more” for the sake of it. Create your SOAP.
  

Here is a quick look at business strategy. Even in bustling markets like Auckland, clarity beats grind every time.

Turning Busyness Into Profit: Your Action Plan

You don’t have to work harder to earn more, but you do need clarity, focus and discipline. Here’s how to get started:

• Review pricing and margins every quarter.
• Prioritise high-profit work and let go of low-return jobs.
• Build simple systems for jobs and data, don’t depend on one person.
• Align your team with clear, accountable targets.
• Grow strategically, plan, don’t just react. Create your SOAP.

Take Your Next Step:

• Download your FREE eBook: Open Book Management for Auckland SMEs
• Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Sean Foster—Business Coach NZ.
• Audit your jobs and pricing using the checklist inside the eBook.

Your Auckland business should reward your effort, not drain it. With the right focus and strategy, you’ll see profits grow together with your activity.

FAQ: Why Is My Auckland Business Busy but Not Making More Money?

Q1: Why isn’t my business more profitable even though we’re always busy?
A: Being busy doesn’t guarantee profit. Low pricing, inefficient systems, low-margin work, or unfocused staff can all drain resources. Audit where your time and money really go.

Q2: How do I know if my pricing is hurting business profits?
A: If you rarely review prices or undercharge compared to competitors, your margins may be too low. Set aside time each quarter to reassess pricing and make sure it reflects your value and costs.

Q3: What can I do to stop taking on low-margin, high-time work?
A: Identify jobs or clients that soak up time but offer little return. Use a job profitability matrix and say no to low-value work—focus energy on the highest-margin opportunities.

Q4: How can better systems improve my bottom line?
A: Streamlining and automating repeat tasks with simple digital tools minimises costly errors and frees up staff time for higher-value work. Start by standardising processes you handle yourself.

Q5: What’s the fastest way to turn team activity into more profit?
A: Make sure everyone knows which tasks drive profit and hold staff accountable for outcomes, not just busywork. Structure meetings and set clear priorities for every role.