As I engage with owners and managing directors of SMEs and local branches of international companies, I often hear the same objection: "We know our business very well, our long-standing staff is highly experienced, why would we need external insights to help us drive our business?” However, as the conversation deepens, it often becomes clear that while the business may be profitable, it is also stagnant, overly reliant on the same familiar revenue streams and customer base, with few new ideas being developed and implemented.

I have the utmost respect for those who successfully run their operations and have no desire to take them to the next level; still, for those who do aspire to develop their business to greater heights, external insight can be invaluable. Small organizations are often not designed for growth beyond their current capacity, meaning they may lack the necessary resources or bandwidth to implement new ideas and grow effectively.

If your business is ready to venture beyond familiar shores and explore new avenues for growth, consider the value that fresh, external insights can bring. With 25 years of international experience in the Industrial & Energy B2B sectors, I founded Exponasia Growth Partners to help ambitious SMEs achieve their growth objectives in Southeast Asia. It’s not just about how well someone knows your business, but how deeply they understand the drivers and challenges ahead, and how effectively they can help shape and implement strategies that deliver results.