Business Trends 2025: Key Challenges & Growth Opportunities
As we wrap up the first month of the year, it’s time to take stock of how business is shaping up; the business trends, challenges and possible growth opportunities in 2025. January is a month of fresh starts, planning, and often, a reality check on how the new year is actually unfolding.
Welcome to the first edition of Business Mega Brew, where we – Jill from Cherryade Marketing and our very own Michelle – discuss all things business, marketing, data, and the challenges and opportunities we’re seeing in the small business world. If you’re a business owner looking for practical insights and a bit of honesty about what’s really going on, this is the place for you. So if you don’t have time to watch/listen to the vodcast, then ready below for a recap.
Meet Your Hosts
Before we dive in, here’s a quick intro:
- Jill Bishop runs Cherryade Marketing, helping businesses craft effective marketing strategies to reach the right audience and grow their brands.
- Michelle Molyneux is a data protection and compliance consultant with a background in quality and action learning facilitation, helping businesses navigate the often-dreaded world of policies and compliance.
Looking Back: The Highs & Lows of 2024
Last year was a challenging one for many businesses. As we chatted in this episode, we both felt that 2024 ended with a bit of a meh feeling. Many businesses we spoke to were cautious, hesitant, and struggling with decision-making. We saw a lot of:
- Delayed decisions – businesses wanting to move forward but holding off due to financial uncertainty.
- Budget concerns – small businesses are feeling the squeeze, making it harder to commit to new investments.
- General fatigue – after years of navigating economic ups and downs, many business owners felt drained by the end of the year.
The good news? There’s a definite shift happening now that we’re into 2025. While businesses are still cautious, things are starting to move forward, and that’s a promising sign.
Planning for 2025: Business Goals & Pivots
For many business owners, January is a time to set resolutions – or, in our case, avoid them entirely! Instead of traditional resolutions, we both prefer goal-setting and strategic reviews.
Michelle has taken the time to reflect on her business direction and decided to pivot. While she’ll continue offering consultancy and audits, she’s expanding into online courses to help small businesses understand and implement data protection more affordable. It’s about meeting businesses where they are – and their budgets!
Jill, on the other hand, is taking a more reflective approach this year, stepping back to think about what she really wants from her business beyond just client numbers and revenue goals. A big focus is on work-life integration rather than just work-life balance.
If you haven’t already, now is a great time to review where your business is heading and whether your current strategy still makes sense.
Reviewing Systems: CRMs, Subscriptions & Processes
Another key focus this month has been reviewing tools and systems.
- Social Media: Michelle has completely left Twitter (or X, as it’s now called) and is exploring new platforms like BlueSky and Threads. If you’re using social media for business, it’s worth considering whether the platforms you’re on are actually working for you.
- CRMs & Software: If you’ve got subscriptions you’re paying for but rarely use, now’s the time to reassess. Michelle’s been comparing Moxie and Plutio, while Jill has been questioning whether she’s on the right CRM. It’s a great exercise to reduce unnecessary costs and streamline your operations.
- Data Mapping & Policies: Reviewing privacy policies and data mapping is a must-do at least once a year. Have you checked whether the software you’re using has changed its policies? Are you still compliant? These are critical steps to ensuring your business stays on the right side of data protection laws.
- Process Reviews: January is a great time to declutter processes, unsubscribe from unnecessary tools, and evaluate whether your workflow is as efficient as it could be.
Predictions for 2025: AI, Compliance & Sustainability
So, what’s coming up this year in the world of business? Here are our top predictions:
- AI & Data Protection: With the UK government embracing AI and the EU AI Act coming into force, businesses need to be mindful of how they use AI responsibly. Transparency, documentation, and ensuring compliance with data privacy laws will be essential.
- Sustainability: More businesses are making meaningful changes in their sustainability efforts, moving beyond just planting trees to truly embedding sustainability into their processes and products. We expect to see more of this in 2025.
- Marketing Trends: Video and live streaming will continue to grow in importance. It’s time to get comfortable in front of the camera – something Michelle has reluctantly accepted!
- Cost-Saving Mindset: Many businesses are still being cautious, and we expect a continued focus on efficiency and cost-effectiveness in decision-making.
What’s Coming Up in February?
February brings some interesting dates for businesses:
- 6th February: Safer Internet Day – A great time to check your cybersecurity and online safety practices.
- 12th February: Clean Out Your Computer Day – Declutter, organise files, and eliminate unused subscriptions.
- 14th February: Valentine’s Day – A perfect time to show appreciation for your customers and clients. How? Through loyalty rewards, thank-you messages, or even just a heartfelt email.
- Shouting Out Your Service Providers: In the spirit of appreciation, take the time to leave Google reviews or LinkedIn recommendations for the businesses and freelancers who have supported you. Authentic testimonials go a long way in building credibility!
Our next episode will focus on Love It or Hate It – what we love (and hate) about running a business. We’ll also discuss whether businesses hate marketing or compliance more – we have a sneaky suspicion we know the answer already!
Join the Conversation
We’d love to hear from you! How has January been for your business? What changes are you making in 2025? And most importantly – what do you hate more: marketing or compliance?
Drop us a message, tag us on social media, and let us know your thoughts.
Got questions? Drop us a line, and we’ll do our best to tackle them in the next episode.
Where to find us
- Michelle
- LinkedIn: Michelle Molyneux
- Website: Michelle Molyneux Business Consulting
- Gill
- LinkedIn: Gill Bishop
- Website: CherryAid Marketing
Thank you for reading! We hope this blog provides you with valuable insights similar to those in the full video. We would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to share them with us — we enjoy connecting with fellow business owners. Enjoy your drink, and see you next time!
Until next time!
Jill & Michelle