193: The Top 10 Mistakes Small Businesses Make | #193
From Messy Business - with Libby Langley by Libby Langley - Business Coach
June 4, 2026 · 27 min · Episode 193
About this episode
Libby Langley discusses the top 10 common mistakes small business owners make and how to address them.
After working with more than 7,500 business owners over the years, I've noticed that most business problems aren't nearly as unique as we think they are. People often come to me convinced they need more clients, better marketing, a new website, or a completely different strategy. Sometimes that's true. More often, the real issue is hiding somewhere else. In this episode, I'm sharing 10 of the most common mistakes I see small business owners make, and not because I'm judging them. I've made most of them myself at one point or another. These are the patterns that creep into businesses over time. The things that create confusion, dent profitability, drain your energy, and leave you wondering why everything feels complicated. In this episode: Why too many offers can make it harder for people to buy from you The messaging mistakes that leave potential clients scratching their heads What happens when a business becomes dependent on one person Why marketing often gets blamed for problems it didn't cause The relationship between pricing, profit, and knowing your numbers The difference between being busy and making progress How gaps in your customer journey could be costing you…
People in this episode
Host: Libby Langley
Topics covered
- small business mistakes
- entrepreneurship
- business strategy
- marketing issues
- pricing and profit
- customer journey
- founder exhaustion
Keywords
- business problems
- client acquisition
- marketing
- strategic thinking
- profitability
- customer journey
- founder exhaustion
More episodes of Messy Business - with Libby Langley
- 194: The Messy Truth About Being a Capable Business Owner | #194 · June 11, 2026 · 27 min
- 192: Work That Looks Good v Work That Gets Results | #192 · June 1, 2026 · 26 min
- 191: When Business Noise Is Making You Doubt Yourself | #191 · May 28, 2026 · 27 min
- 190: Why More Clients Isn't the Answer | #190 · May 21, 2026 · 27 min
- 189: Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should! | #189 · May 14, 2026 · 27 min
- 188: Are You Stuck, or Are You Avoiding Something? | #188 · May 7, 2026 · 26 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Messy Business - with Libby Langley podcast page.