Standing still is how you get left behind
Updated: 1 day ago
By Darren Lewis, Chief Operating Officer, SGU
30.10.26
TL;DR | Short on time? Here’s the gist. |
Change is inevitable when you’re growing a business, and not all of it is comfortable. We’ve learned the hard way that standing still isn’t an option. The last few weeks have brought new faces, changing responsibilities and some exciting developments at Solar Group. It’s also reminded me that having good people around you makes all the difference, both to moving the business forward and occasionally finding five minutes to switch off. |
A few changes behind the scenes
The last couple of weeks have been a little different at Solar Group. We’ve had some new people joining us, a few changes in responsibilities and quite a lot happening behind the scenes. It’s been busy, but in a good way.
When you’re running a business, you get used to things changing. People come in, roles develop, priorities shift and you find yourself making decisions you probably hadn’t anticipated a few months earlier. I actually think you have to embrace that, particularly in our industry, where things are moving so quickly. You can’t expect the business you built five years ago to operate in exactly the same way today, and if it does, perhaps that’s something worth questioning.
We made the mistake once
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you really can’t afford to stand still. We made that mistake when we first started out. We got comfortable with where we were and, looking back, we probably weren’t pushing forward as much as we should have been. It’s a lesson that has stayed with me, because you can spend so much time concentrating on what’s happening today that you forget to think about what the business needs to look like tomorrow. Before you know it, the industry has moved on and you’re playing catch-up.
I’m determined we won’t make that mistake again. That doesn’t mean changing things for the sake of it. It means being prepared to question how you do things, invest in better ways of working and recognise when something needs to evolve, and we’ve been doing quite a bit of that recently.
Some exciting things happening
One of the things I’m particularly pleased about is the development work we’ve been doing on our systems. We’ve been building tools that we believe will make a real difference to how we operate and, more importantly, to the clients who use them. Some clients have already had access to what we’ve been developing, and the feedback so far has been really encouraging. There’s something quite satisfying about seeing an idea turn into something practical, particularly when the people you’re building it for can see the value in it. We’re not standing still, and we’ll keep developing, improving and building on what we’ve already achieved.
The people around you make the difference
In my last Reflection Section, I talked about how difficult it can be to switch off when you’re running a business, and I’ve been thinking about that a little more. I don’t think there’s a magic answer, but I do think a lot of it comes down to the people you surround yourself with. When you’ve got good people around you, people you trust and who genuinely care about what they’re doing, it makes an enormous difference. You don’t have to be involved in every single conversation or decision. You can give people responsibility, let them get on with what they’re good at and know that things are moving forward.
That’s important for the business, of course, but it’s also important for you personally. If everything depends on you being available every minute of the day, eventually something has to give, and I think that’s something a lot of business owners can relate to.
Sometimes switching off is just a dog walk
I’ve also realised that switching off doesn’t necessarily mean taking a holiday or disappearing for a long weekend. Sometimes it’s just getting out for a coffee, taking the dog for a walk or having a bit of time to yourself. I find walking particularly useful, as it gives me a chance to think things through properly without the constant interruptions of a normal working day.
It’s often when I’m out walking that I start thinking about all the positive things happening. It’s very easy to spend your time worrying about what needs fixing, what hasn’t gone to plan or what needs doing next, and there will always be something. But every now and again, it’s worth looking at what’s going well: the people you’ve brought into the business, the progress you’ve made, the ideas that are starting to become reality
and the relationships you’ve built with clients. Those things deserve a bit of attention too.
Looking forward
So, that’s where my head is at the moment. We’ve had a few changes, we’ve got some exciting things developing and I’m feeling really positive about where we’re heading. I’m sure there will be more challenges around the corner, as there always are when you’re running a business, and I wouldn’t pretend otherwise. But I’d much rather be moving forward, learning and occasionally getting things wrong than standing still because it’s the comfortable option. We’ve done that once, and we won’t be doing it again.
Because we care.
