Navigating Rising Costs and Supply Chain Disruptions: Your Business Needs a Plan

Australian SMEs are facing a perfect storm: inflation, supply chain disruptions, and unreliable customer demand. If your margins are under pressure, or you feel like you’re always reacting rather than planning, you're not alone, but there is a path forward.

Recent headlines only confirm what you already know:

• Inflation is increasing costs across utilities, supplies, wages. Many businesses are feeling squeezed even as sales drop off.

• Supply chain shocks, longer lead times, unpredictable supplier behaviour, rising transport and input costs are disrupting operations.

• Business investment in automation and efficiency is slowing down as firms wrestle with cost pressures and risk.

These aren’t distant problems. They show up in late deliveries, frustrated customers, sleepless nights about cash flow, and the sense that your business depends too much on you holding it together.

Why So Many Owners Are Feeling Overwhelmed

When costs rise and supply chains are unpredictable, owners often end up filling every gap:

• You negotiate with suppliers one day, chase unpaid invoices the next.

• You’re firefighting operational issues instead of thinking about next quarter.

• You’re trying to keep the team motivated while you’re quietly burning out yourself.

It’s not just about financial strain; it’s about your wellbeing and your lifestyle.

If your business relies on you to solve every problem, it will always struggle to scale. And that means you stay stuck in the cycle of “busy” instead of building something sustainable.

A Framework to Break Out of the Cycle

These pressures, while real, can be managed if you build resilience into your business. That’s where the 5 Levers of Organisational Performance come in. They give you a practical framework to shift from being reactive to proactive.

1. Strategy: Reassess Priorities with Eyes Wide Open

When external conditions change, your strategy must adapt. Start by asking:

• Which parts of my business model are most exposed to rising costs?

• Where can I differentiate beyond just price, through service, reliability, or unique value?

• What’s my short-term priority: survival, stability, or growth?

Too many owners stick with a plan that no longer matches reality. A sharper, focused strategy helps you make better trade-offs when resources are tight.

2. Structure: Build a Team That Doesn’t Rely Solely on You

One reason owners get stuck in the weeds is because all decisions funnel back to them. Instead, ask:

• Who in my business could take ownership of supplier relationships?

• Do I have someone focused on customers while I handle finances or vice versa?

• Where are the bottlenecks that mean everything waits for me?

A clear structure means people know what they own, and you don’t become the default fixer for every problem.

3. People: Equip and Empower Them for Change

Your team is your greatest asset, but only if they have the skills, confidence, and authority to act. Right now, that means:

• Training staff to anticipate and manage risks (e.g., spotting supply delays early).

• Giving them the tools and trust to make small decisions quickly.

• Recognising and supporting them through uncertainty, your resilience is amplified when your team is resilient too.

When people are empowered, you free up time to think strategically rather than constantly firefighting.

4. Processes: Make Them Resilient, Not Fragile

A lot of small business processes are fragile; they work fine until something goes wrong. Instead, build flexibility:

• Map your critical processes: where are the weak points most exposed to delays or cost hikes?

• Build in contingency plans (alternative suppliers, buffer stock, cross-trained staff).

• Increase visibility: use dashboards or simple reports so you spot problems before they escalate.

Strong processes act as shock absorbers. They protect you from external volatility.

5. Systems: Use Technology as a Force Multiplier

You don’t need expensive enterprise software to get an edge. Even modest tools can help you regain control:

• Cloud-based dashboards to track costs, supplier performance, or cash flow.

• Automation for repetitive tasks (invoicing, order tracking, follow-ups).

• Collaboration platforms so your team stays aligned, even if you’re not in every conversation.

Technology doesn’t replace people, it frees them (and you) from admin so you can focus on growth.

Why Acting Now Matters

Many owners tell themselves they’ll fix these issues “once things settle down.” But things rarely settle. The environment is likely to stay volatile for years.

Those who thrive will be the businesses that adapt now.

• Financial stability. Tight controls and proactive planning help protect margins.

• Customer loyalty. Reliability in uncertain times builds trust and repeat business.

• Owner wellbeing. A resilient business means you get your time, and your energy, back.

• Scalability. Once your systems run smoothly without you, growth becomes possible.

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Your Next Step

If you’re feeling stretched thin, constantly reacting, and unsure how to get ahead, you’re not alone. Many business owners are facing the same challenges right now.

The difference comes down to whether you keep firefighting or take the time to build resilience.

At Stratigen Consulting, I work with business owners to:

• Pinpoint where rising costs and supply chain risks are hitting hardest

• Redesign structures and processes to reduce reliance on the owner

• Put in place systems that give visibility, stability, and confidence to scale

  
  

If this resonates, let’s have a conversation. A short Discovery Call could be the first step to turning your business from reactive to resilient and giving you back the space to lead with clarity.