2025 was a year of contrasts for mid-market and family businesses. Some organisations were ready to invest and expand, while others held back, impacted by market uncertainty and uneven confidence across sectors and regions.
At Active Directions, we worked closely with clients navigating challenges like limited visibility, slow decision-making, unclear succession plans, and cost pressures. Here’s what we learned and observed this year and how it can help you prepare for 2026.
Key Insights from 2025
1. Succession Planning Needs Broader Thinking
Family succession often takes longer than expected. As Jim Scollon explains:
“Succession planning needs to focus more on the introduction of non-family members into management.”
This aligns with the Grant Thornton 2025 Family Business Report, which confirmed succession remains the number one challenge for Australian family businesses.
2. Visibility Builds Confidence
Businesses that maintained accurate, detailed, and regularly updated sales pipelines saw a clear boost in confidence. Paul Stansfield puts it simply:
“Shifting from reactive to proactive starts with the ability to see into the future—identify opportunities and make data-driven decisions.”
3. Strategy Without Execution Falls Flat
The biggest breakthroughs came when marketing was elevated to the management table and plans were consistently executed. Gareth Gammon sums it up:
“A clear marketing strategy is pointless without a consistent execution plan.”
Businesses that aligned marketing and sales processes were more resilient and achieved stronger growth.
4. Technology Strengthens Good Strategy
AI was everywhere in 2025, but not as a magic wand. It worked best as a tool to enhance existing strategies, not replace them. Andrew Sinclair reminds us:
“AI isn’t a magic wand. It’s a tool that strengthens the strategy you already have.”
What We Delivered in 2025
This year, we focused on practical strategy execution, helping clients turn plans into action. Even our strategy processes now dedicate more time to implementation, improving resilience and reducing operational risk.
Active Directions delivered 65+ projects across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, with strong growth in Western Australia and Victoria. Our work spanned management reviews, succession planning, technology adoption, and AI implementation.
Highlights:
-
Management Reviews: Strengthening structures and preparing for investment, growth, or exit with clear roadmaps and actionable recommendations.
-
Forecasting and Planning: Improving visibility into margins and performance for better decision-making.
-
Acquisition Support: Accelerated assessments to help clients act quickly and confidently.
-
Sales and Marketing Transformation: Refreshing strategies and campaigns to drive growth and adapt to changing conditions.
-
Cost Optimisation and Turnaround Plans: Building options for improvement, restructuring, or exit and aligning boards around the best path forward
Closing Thought
2025 taught us that in uncertain markets, growth comes from discipline, not disruption. We’re grateful for the trust our clients and partners place in us every day.
As we look ahead to 2026, Active Directions is ready to help you navigate new challenges and opportunities. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you achieve your business goals next year.
Wishing you a restful holiday break and a successful year ahead.
.png)
-1.png)
-1.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
-1.png)
-1.png)
-1.png)
-1.png)
