The Trap of Overcomplicating Your Business Model: Why Simplicity Matters
Are you struggling to grow your business because you’re offering too much? Overcomplicating your business model might be the silent killer of your success. This is exactly what happened to Femi, a real estate agent, during today’s mastermind session.
Femi had spent months building a business with multiple services:
- Property sales
- Property management
- Mortgage consulting
- Interior design
- Short-term rentals
- A YouTube channel for real estate investors
- A concierge service for Nigerians relocating to the UK
While his ambition was admirable, the business model was complex and confusing, both for his customers and himself. The result? Customers didn’t know where to begin, and Femi felt overwhelmed by trying to do it all.
Simplicity Drives Growth: How Overcomplication Hurts Your Business
If your business model is too complicated, you risk losing customers due to confusion. When people visit your website, read your marketing materials, or hear about your services, they need to instantly understand what you offer. If they can’t, they’ll look elsewhere.
But it’s not just customers who suffer. The business owner ends up juggling too many projects at once, diluting their focus and spreading themselves too thin. This leads to burnout and a lack of mastery in any one area, which is exactly what Femi was experiencing.
The Power of Focusing on One Core Service
I asked Femi to walk through the customer journey, detailing how potential clients engage with his business. He listed everything from buying homes to providing mortgage consultations and managing rental properties. It was a lot to digest, even for him.
Funmi, a beauty salon owner, raised an eyebrow and said, “Femi, when clients come to my salon, they know exactly what they’ll get. Your business sounds more like a puzzle they have to solve first.”
Babs, our mastermind leader, asked the big question: “Femi, what’s the one thing you want to be known for? What’s your core business?”
Femi paused, then said, “I guess real estate sales.”
How to Simplify Your Business for Better Success
I smiled and said, “Great! Now, focus on mastering real estate sales first. Once you become known as the go-to expert in that area, you can expand into other services slowly.”
Babs gave a powerful analogy: “Imagine if Apple started offering plumbing services or wedding planning on top of making phones and computers. That would be ridiculous, right?”
Femi laughed, realizing the truth. “It wouldn’t make sense.”
“Exactly,” Babs replied. “Your business, like Apple, needs to stand for something clear and simple. When customers don’t have to guess what you offer, they’re more likely to choose you.”
Focus, Simplify, and Succeed
By the end of the session, Femi had made a crucial decision: He would focus on real estate sales, specifically catering to Nigerians looking to buy property in the UK. Everything else would be put on hold until he had established a strong foundation.
As Femi left the session, he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. “My business just became a hundred times easier to manage.”
“Exactly,” Babs said with a smile. “It’s not about making business easy—it’s about making it clear and focused.”
Your Turn: How to Simplify Your Business Model for Greater Success
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a complex business model, it’s time to take a step back. Here are a few questions to help you simplify:
- What is the one thing you want your business to be known for?
- What can you eliminate from your offerings to focus on your core strength?
By simplifying your business model, you can create a clearer, more focused brand that attracts the right customers and positions you for growth. Don’t try to do everything—do one thing really well, and success will follow.
What’s one thing you can simplify in your business today? Share your story in the comments below!
