Hope is not a strategy! In their fourth tip, Xerox encourages owners to reach out to their community. How much time and energy do you spend understanding the business world around you?

4. Growth? Look out!

A challenge for many small business owners is shifting their perspective from inside their business—the daily details of running the business, to outside the business—developing a strategy for growth, researching markets, understanding competition and so on. Need help? Reach out for resources. Look for ways to harness the expertise and experience of others through networking. As time permits, join associations and attend meetings. It takes time, but can yield benefits without requiring capital.