54. How to Grow a Small Business: 7 Needle Movers for Real Growth
- Brittany Miller
- Apr 16, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: Sep 2
Welcome to a deep dive into one of the most crucial concepts for any entrepreneur or small business owner: how to grow a small business by focusing on the activities that truly move the needle. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the endless to-do lists, client demands, and daily tasks that fill your workdays without actually pushing your business forward, you’re not alone.
In this blog, I’m going to share what I call “needle movers”—the core activities that actually accelerate business growth, generate income, and help you build the business and life you want. Drawing from my own experience building a digital marketing business from the ground up, I’ll walk you through identifying your needle movers, prioritizing them above the noise, and creating a strategy that fits your goals and lifestyle.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress, this is the post for you. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What Are Needle Movers and Why Do They Matter?
Before we get into the specifics, let me explain what I mean by “needle movers.” Think of your business like a car on the highway. When you push the gas pedal, the speedometer moves, and your business speeds up toward your goals. Needle movers are those gas pedal activities — the tasks that directly contribute to growing your business, increasing revenue, and getting you closer to your vision.
It’s easy to confuse busywork with productivity. Answering emails, managing client projects, or organizing files might keep you occupied, but they don’t necessarily move the needle. Needle movers are the high-impact actions that change the trajectory of your business.
Each business has unique needle movers that depend on your industry, business model, and where you are in your entrepreneurial journey. What moves the needle for me now might have been very different when I was just starting out, and your needle movers will evolve as your business grows.
Why Identifying Needle Movers is a Game-Changer
When I finally identified my needle movers and prioritized them, everything shifted. My word for the year is “action,” and that action is rooted in focusing on the right things. Instead of juggling a million tasks that don’t align with my goals, I’m strategic about spending the majority of my time on activities that generate revenue and build momentum.
This focus helps me avoid burnout, create sustainable income, and build a business that works for me — not the other way around. It also means I can spend more quality time with my family, which is a huge priority for me.
My Top Needle Movers: The Core Activities Driving My Business Growth
Let me share the top needle movers that I focus on consistently. These are the pillars of my business strategy, and they’re tailored to how I generate income and what aligns with my goals right now.
1. Podcasting: Content Creation and Revenue Generation
Podcasting is one of my biggest needle movers. I produce one podcast episode each week, which acts as a portfolio piece for my husband Grayson, who manages our podcasting clients. This weekly episode shows potential clients that we know what we’re doing and are experts in the podcasting space.
Podcasting is not just about recording episodes; it’s about the entire ecosystem around it:
Recording and editing episodes
Creating social media content to promote episodes
Sending emails to announce new episodes
Because podcasting is a revenue-generating service for us, it’s critical that I stay consistent. Plus, I genuinely love podcasting, so it feels less like work and more like a passion project that fuels my business growth.
2. Social Media Content Creation: Growing My Audience and Authority
Social media is another major needle mover. I’m a “practice what I preach” kind of person — I can’t expect my clients to show up every day if I don’t do the same. Creating content that teaches, inspires, and engages my audience helps me grow my following and build trust with potential clients.
Here’s what my social media content strategy looks like:
Posting consistently, aiming for 5 to 10 posts per week across different platforms
Sharing tips, strategies, and behind-the-scenes looks at my business
Testing and refining what content resonates most
I’ve noticed a clear correlation between consistent posting and audience growth, which in turn leads to more sales and client opportunities. Social media is a huge part of how I build my business, so I treat it as a core activity, not a side hustle.
3. Email Marketing: Driving Sales and Client Engagement
Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing relationships and generating income. I offer email marketing setup and management services, so I need to practice what I preach by sending regular emails to my own list.
My email marketing needle movers include:
Sending at least one email per week, usually related to new podcast episodes or monthly newsletters
Creating and managing email sequences that nurture leads and promote products
Building and launching new email marketing courses and resources
Email marketing is one of my main revenue streams, so it’s essential that I stay active and test what works, both for my business and for my clients.
4. Pinterest: Expanding Audience Reach
While Pinterest is a newer focus for me, it’s quickly becoming a needle mover. Pinterest content is different from my usual social media posts, and I’m working with a Pinterest strategist to grow this channel effectively.
Though results aren’t immediate, Pinterest has great potential for audience growth, especially when combined with blogging or resource promotion. It’s a long-term investment that I’m excited about.
5. Course and Resource Creation: Building Residual Income
Creating downloadable resources and courses is a critical needle mover for my goal of generating passive income and creating time freedom, especially with a maternity leave on the horizon.
These projects usually involve:
Designing and producing digital products like checklists and guides
Building opt-in and thank-you pages
Writing email sequences to nurture leads and upsell related products
For example, I recently launched my “Spark Your Email Marketing Success” checklist and am working on a podcasting checklist based on audience requests. These products provide value upfront and then offer next steps for deeper support, whether through courses or one-on-one services.
How My Needle Movers Have Evolved Over Time
When I first started my business, my needle movers looked very different. I was hustling hard, pounding the pavement, attending networking events, and spending hours telling people about my services. That phase was essential for building my initial client base.
Now, almost three years in, my focus has shifted toward creating systems, passive income streams, and scaling sustainably. I’m prioritizing activities that align with my current goals of income stability and time flexibility, especially with my upcoming maternity leave.
Your needle movers will evolve too, depending on your business stage. Early days might mean cold outreach, networking, or direct sales. As you grow, it could shift toward marketing automation, product launches, or team management.
Needle Movers Are Different for Every Business
It’s important to remember that your needle movers are unique to your business model, goals, and stage. Here are some examples of what other entrepreneurs might focus on:
Networking Events: For some, attending events or virtual meetups is the key to finding clients.
Facebook Groups: Engaging in or running a Facebook group can be a major source of leads.
Cold Outreach: Cold emailing or messaging potential clients might be your main revenue driver.
Blogging and SEO: If organic search traffic drives your business, blogging and SEO are your needle movers.
Paid Advertising: Running Google Ads or Facebook Ads might be your primary growth strategy.
Community Involvement: Participating in groups, attending events, sharing feedback and resources often leads to client generation. One of my favourite groups is the Monarch Momentum Membership. I use it personally for business growth. but many of my clients have been Monarchs, who choose to work with me after seeing me show up in the group.
The key is to identify what activities directly lead to revenue and growth in your business and prioritize those.
How to Prioritize Your Needle Movers and Make Them Work for You
Understanding your needle movers is only the first step. The real challenge is making time for them consistently. Here’s how I recommend you prioritize and protect your needle movers:
1. Schedule Them Like Appointments
Block time on your calendar specifically for your needle movers. Call it “CEO Time” or “Needle Mover Time.” Treat it like a non-negotiable appointment with yourself. Whether it’s a two-hour block or 15 minutes here and there, protect this time fiercely otherwise this time often get filled with busywork that doesn't support your goals or generate income.
2. Break Big Projects Into Small Tasks
Launching a new product or creating an email sequence can feel overwhelming. Break these big goals into small, manageable tasks and schedule those individually. For example:
Monday: Brainstorm resource name
Tuesday: Design title page
Wednesday: Write three key takeaways
Thursday: Build opt-in page
Friday: Write email nurture sequence
This approach keeps momentum going without burnout.
3. Be Intentional and Consistent
Don’t leave your needle movers to chance. If you find yourself at the end of the week thinking, “I didn’t move the needle,” it’s time to get serious about scheduling and protecting your core activities. Often sharing your goals with a spouse or friend who checks in on you is enough to actually get it done. Every Monday in the Monarch community we share our 3 needle movers for the week and we check in at the end of the week to report how we did. This is all the motivation I need to make sure my needle movers get done every week.
4. Say No to Distractions
Client work is important, but it can often consume all your time. Be mindful not to let client tasks eat into your needle mover time. It’s okay to delay non-urgent client work if it means making progress on your business growth activities.
It's also important to say no to events, invites and projects that do not align with your current goals and needle movers. While they may be business related, they take time away from your needle movers which delays progress towards your goals. This is something I struggle with immensely.
5. Track Your Progress
Write down your needle movers and track your weekly and monthly progress. For me, sticky notes on the wall help keep me accountable and focused. Celebrate each small win—it all adds up! I also enjoy using Toggl, a free online tool that helps me track my time for client projects and towards my goals.
Presently, I am tracking my time for the following goals:
Creating Pinterest content to post consistently - 1 hour/week
Optimizing Blog posts for SEO - 2 hours/week
Creating a course - 1 hour/week
Examples of How I Prioritize My Needle Movers
In March, for example, I focused heavily on launching new resources and email sequences. Here’s what that looked like:
Refreshed my Content Catalyst resource, including opt-in and thank-you pages
Built a six-email upsell sequence to promote the resource
Launched my Email Marketing Success checklist with all the associated pages and email sequences
Wrote delivery emails and abandoned cart sequences for my resource bundles
All of this took intentional time blocks and breaking the work into smaller tasks. By doing this, I set up multiple streams of residual income that will continue to generate revenue while I’m on maternity leave.
Final Thoughts: How to Grow a Small Business by Working Smarter
Learning how to grow a small business isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most. When you identify your needle movers and make them your priority, you start to see real progress, sustainable growth, and a business that supports your life goals.
Remember, needle movers are unique to you. Take time to reflect on your goals and revenue streams, then choose 3 to 5 core activities that will push your business forward. Schedule them, protect them, and be consistent.
This approach has transformed my business and my mindset, and I’m confident it can do the same for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Your Small Business with Needle Movers
Q: What if I don’t know what my needle movers are?
A: Start by looking at your revenue-generating activities. What tasks lead directly to sales or client acquisition? If you’re unsure, track your time and results for a week or two to identify patterns. Also, consider your business goals and which activities align best with achieving them.
Q: How many needle movers should I focus on at a time?
A: I recommend focusing on 3 to 5 core needle movers. Too many can dilute your focus, while too few might limit growth. Pick the most impactful tasks that align with your goals and revenue streams.
Q: What if client work keeps taking up all my time?
A: Client work is necessary but can become a distraction from growing your business. Set clear boundaries and schedule dedicated time for needle movers. Communicate with clients about your availability and prioritize your growth activities. Being busy with client work is usually a sign your prices are too low, requiring more clients to acheive revenue goals which cuts into your time to grow your business. Check out Go Get Great epsiode 93 about creating courses and transitioning from a 1:1 to 1:Many model.
Q: How often should I review and adjust my needle movers?
A: Regularly review your needle movers every 3 to 6 months or when your business goals shift. Everytime Ayou achieve a goal it's good to check your needle movers and see what needs to shift to reach the next goal. Additionally, as your business evolves, so will the activities that move the needle.
Q: Can needle movers be different for service-based and product-based businesses?
A: Absolutely. Service-based businesses might focus more on networking, client outreach, and content marketing, while product-based businesses may prioritize product development, inventory management, and advertising. The key is to identify which activities directly lead to growth and revenue for your specific model.
Ready to Take Action Now That You Have the Answer to "How To Grow Your Small Business"?
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start growing your business with intention, I encourage you to take the first step today. Identify your needle movers, put them on your calendar, and protect that time fiercely. Your business growth depends on it.
And if you want more support, resources, or personalized coaching on social media, email marketing, or podcasting, I’m here to help. Visit my services page to learn more about how we can work together to turn your small business dreams into reality.
Come say hi!
Ready to level up your life and business taking it from good to great? Hit follow and please leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! The kids and I might even bust out a happy dance! 💗 - Brittany
00:00 Intro
1:20 What are needle movers?
3:25 The tasks that move the needle in my business
4:25 Podcasting for content creation
6:20 Creating social media content
8:20 Email marketing to drive sales
10:40 Pinterest for audience growth
12:50 Course creation
16:20 Different needle movers for other businesses
19:20 Tips to prioritize your needle movers
30:50 Wrap up
Comments