Stress is unfortunately a common challenge for SME leaders, with over 75% saying running their business is affecting their mental health, and nearly half experiencing burnout.
However, stress does not have to be simply part of the job description. There are habits, boundaries and decision-making frameworks that SME leaders can use to protect their resilience as deliberately as they protect their bottom line.
Alumni and leaders from the Help to Grow: Management community share five practical ways to reduce pressure, regain clarity, and lead with greater confidence.
1. Reconnect with why you started in the first place —
Hayley Wilkes, owner of WeeCook
For Hayley Wilkes, owner of award-winning pie makers, caterers and street food bakers WeeCook, stepping back from day-to-day pressure helped her refocus on what mattered most in her business.
Rather than stretching her energy across multiple directions, she re-evaluated her model and returned to the core product that defined her reputation.
“Running the restaurant and trying to do the pies too wasn’t providing me with a better work-life balance, and it made me think, what is it that I really want to achieve? Sometimes you need someone to sit you down and say: this is the reality.”
That clarity helped her make more focused decisions about quality, capacity and direction.
2. Don’t be afraid to start again and keep on learning —
Karsten Smet, CEO at ACI Group
Twenty years of corporate experience didn’t prepare Karsten for the realities of running an SME when he took over at ACI Group, a global distributor of speciality ingredients. Rather than let that gap become a source of stress, he embraced a beginner’s mindset and the power of continuous learning
“Moving into a family-run SME turned that assumption upside down. It forced me to rethink decision-making, risk, and culture in ways my corporate career hadn’t prepared me for.”
Rather than relying on past experience, he focused on continuous learning and adaptation.
“Becoming a great leader in an SME is an ongoing journey. Completing the Help to Grow: Management Course was only the beginning. The next step is applying what you learn.”
3. Work with a mentor who helps you see things differently —
Claire Pattison, programme director for Help to Grow: Management at the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
Claire highlights the value of working with people who think differently from you.
“Talking to people very different from you – whether through networking events or informal 121 check-ins with other leaders – can add rich perspective into what you need to do as a business. Just by having those conversations, you might encounter approaches or delivery methods you’ve simply not thought about before. Taking it up a level by working with a mentor who is dissimilar from you can be particularly effective.”
Seek out mentors and peers who are genuinely unlike you. A different background or perspective can reveal blind spots and help you see things in new and refreshing ways.
4. Don’t try to do everything – learn to delegate —
Claire MacDonald, creative director of MacMartin
The moment Claire delegated an important client call to prioritise a magical Santa visit with her children – only to watch a team member handle it brilliantly – was a turning point. She now recommends setting three clear priorities each day, protecting boundaries between work and home, and trusting your team.
“Previously I was often a bottleneck because I wanted everything to be perfect. As a business owner there are always 101 things that need to be done, and sometimes you need to allow members of your team to take accountability and responsibility – they will more than likely pass with flying colours. My advice to other SME leaders would be to not be afraid to say no, to put boundaries in place and see what reaction you get, because I think it will be different from your expectations.”
5. Invest in yourself to harness your talent and maximise your potential —
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter
82% of UK leaders are ‘accidental leaders’ with no formal management training. Flora’s message is that there comes a point where on-the-job learning alone isn’t enough. Formal training, mentoring and peer networks allow leaders to grow beyond the ceiling they’ve hit on their own and makes it easier for them to believe in themselves.
“One of the key lessons our experts emphasise on the programme is that every leader needs to become proficient at working on their company, not simply in it. This means shifting focus to areas like employee engagement, organisational design, strategic planning, and similar functions that may be relatively new to them.”
For many SME leaders, resilience is built through better systems, stronger networks and greater self-awareness rather than sheer stamina.
Leaders looking to strengthen those capabilities can learn more about the Help to Grow: Management Course and find a programme in their area at here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.