How Small Businesses Can Grow Successfully, an Interview with SetSchedule CEO Roy Dekel

Small businesses are often focused on one thing to thrive: growth. Growth in leads, business, offerings, and market can all help a small business meet their bottom line and stay on the road to success. More business also means greater investment in important infrastructure like staffing, space, and tools—all potentially increasing risk.

Only about half of small businesses survive the first 5 years. This means growing smart is incredibly important during the tumultuous early years. Surprisingly, the economic climate has little effect on this success rate, according to data over many decades.

So how can small businesses grow in a way that doesn’t threaten their livelihood? Roy Dekel, CEO and co-founder of real estate information SAAS technology startup SetSchedule, has had a lot of experience with getting businesses off the ground. SetSchedule was recently named the 21st fastest-growing California-based private company on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list. That’s saying something for an area has the most startups in the world.

SetSchedule saw over 2037% growth from 2016 to 2018, and according to Dekel, they have no intention of stopping. The company offers a technology platform that connects real estate professionals and clients to serve the needs of both parties more efficiently. Over $1 billion in real estate transactions have been introduced through the platform.

In an interview, Dekel shared his perspective on secrets to successful small business growth.

Innovation: A Key to Growth

Dekel described how hanging onto that early entrepreneurial spirit is essential to small business growth. This is especially important when encountering hardships, which are bound to happen. “No one signs up to be a small business leader because it’s easy,” he said.

His company, like other small businesses across America, is currently having to deal with challenges due to COVID-19. However, they are thinking about what the changing real estate market could mean in terms of opportunity for their business.

“Despite the national crisis, we are finding that there are opportunities to help real estate transactions carry on in new ways. SetSchedule innovation is helping to bring about a long-awaited digital transformation in real estate,” Dekel said.

He prompts other small business owners to be creative in difficult times to find a way forward. Thinking outside the box may just be the key to survival—and even growth. The path may look different than what you originally envisioned, but the best companies need to adapt to their business climate.

COVID-19 is just another storm to weather for many small businesses. Passion, drive, and ingenuity count for a lot when facing challenges such as these.

Dekel described that SetSchedule is forging ahead and working to release new feature sets for real estate professionals based on their needs. The enhanced platform will offer even more streamlined methods for networking and communication, in addition to the existing robust tool.

Growth can also mean you need to step out on a ledge and take some measured risk for potentially a big payoff. We’ll talk more about some investments that may make good sense as your business grows.

Technology Tools

Small businesses looking to grow need to work smarter, not just harder. Technology tools can make a huge difference when you have a small headcount carrying a lot of responsibilities, Dekel explained. Working your tail off isn’t going to get you to the top of your market if your competitor is using a technology to create efficiencies in their way of doing business.

“Many real estate professionals are small business owners themselves. SetSchedule is designed to help grow these businesses by delivering high impact solutions for common issues,” Dekel explained.. SetSchedule brings the solutions to our clients in a user friendly way creating advantages to network, manage and grow. The tools themselves are simple and easy to use from our clients prospective, but everything is constructed with the latest technologies, AI, machine learning, big data and cloud communications.

The platform uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to bring clients directly to professionals most likely to fit their needs. It all happens at the users’ fingertips, the way people today are used to doing business. In many ways, SetSchedule is helping the real estate market catch up to the 21st century.

Communication tools can also be essential for small business efficiency. When you have a small team working on many different facets of your business, it’s critical to stay connected. You don’t want to work in a vacuum and risk duplicating efforts.

Small businesses should do their research and strongly consider whether time-saving technologies may be a worthwhile investment for the return in growth. Look for technology tools with a proven track record that will offer training and customer service that your team will need.

Digital advancements come with a learning curve, but the payoff should be worth it. Think carefully about how a technology could integrate with your business to help promote growth. You may need to change some of your business processes to be less manual and more automated to support the growth you desire.

Building a Solid Team

A company’s growth also greatly depends on the people supporting it, according to Dekel. “I credit much of our rapid growth not only to our unique technology, but also in large part to the hard work and dedication of our employees,” said Dekel. “They paved the way for our success.”

He went on to explain that you have to set an example from the top—working harder than everyone. SetSchedule has intentionally cultivated a workplace culture that makes its employees like family. They value commitment and reward employees with opportunities for development in return.

When employees see the example you set, they’ll know how invested you are in your business. You have to expect a lot but also give back to those driving your success.

When expanding your team, look for people with a similar drive that you see in yourself. A team that is as passionate about the business goals as you are will contribute to an unstoppable machine.

Many of SetSchedule’s original employees have gone on to take senior leadership roles. Employees sticking around as the company grows and reaching new heights in their careers is a sign that you’re doing it right, Dekel explained.

Don’t forget that you can’t do everything yourself if you are going to grow your company. It can be hard to delegate in the early days of your business when you’re so connected to its success, but this process of letting out the reins is essential to growth. Having others you can count on will also help when your business encounters challenges.

Dekel’s number one tip for small business owners is to have a business partner they can count on. He relies on his co-founder Udi Dorner for support. Just make sure you have compatible leadership styles that will work in concert rather than always questioning each other. The last thing you want is a partnership that is fraught with conflict. Your skill sets, personality, and vision for the company should all be complementary.

Shifting the Growth Equation

Entrepreneurs with a growth mindset should know that there are a number of strategies at their fingertips to help accomplish their business goals. The same creativity and drive that fueled the start of their business can carry it through to the next level.

Don’t have your nose to the grindstone so much that you forget to look up and see if there are new tools available to help you run (and expand) your business. Innovation is a magnet for growth, and simply maintaining the status quo isn’t a way to get ahead.

Finally, build a solid team around you that will work hard supporting the company’s mission. You want people you can rely on even when times get tough.

Experiencing growth can be an invigorating and rewarding experience for the small business owner. Do your research and make a growth plan that will keep you at the forefront of your market. Onwards and upwards!

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes