When you’re starting your own business and you’ve got big dreams for your little empire, it can be exciting. But also quite daunting.
I remember those early days well – sleepless nights, wondering where my next client would come from, and thinking I could save money by doing everything myself.
Some of the issues that start-ups face are lack of finances, lack of business knowledge and lack of systems or procedures. Implementing a recognised Management System is unlikely to be on the priority list for a fledgling company, it does bring many benefits. So perhaps it should be part of the plan.
You only need look at the numbers to see that not everybody’s business dreams turn out as they’d hoped:
- According to Startups Magazine, in 2024, 90% of startups failed
- An average of around 750,000 new startups are registered in the UK each year
- That’s 2,054 per day
- Or 85.6 per hour
And tragically, all but 10% might be doomed to oblivion.
Why is this? And what on earth can we do to shift that number for the good?
Much of the danger lies in the business ‘dream’ – a lot of potential entrepreneurs love the excitement, but don’t anticipate the background work involved. And it’s that background activity that frequently makes the difference.
So, what are the key benefits of ISO 9001 for ambitious startups, and how can it deliver the difference?
Process mapping
Process is at the heart of the ISO 9001 standard, and this provides start-ups (and more established companies too) with a straightforward map of:
- what needs to be done to succeed
- how to do it.
In other words, it stops you ‘winging it’ – which can be fun, but also dangerous for the business.
A good process map describes the steps to follow to make your business tick. So you, your team, and – as the business grows – new employees, have a map showing how to complete the work. You and they can refer back to the map to keep on track. You’ll stay on point, and your team won’t deviate off on their own path. Going rogue, whether it’s you or them, could have a negative impact on the product or service delivery.
In other words, a process map provides the blueprint for the team to work off.
Risks and opportunities
Having a risk register is one of the most beneficial elements of ISO for startups. It puts a process in place for the team to identify, review and score risks, enabling the best mitigation actions to be put in place.
What’s more, it might also highlight opportunities you hadn’t previously considered. It’s too easy to get caught up in the thrill of a new business, and avoid looking at risks – until those risks run right over and flatten your enterprise.
Reviewing and updating the risk register is a powerful exercise for a start-up. No one wants to think about ‘risks’, or threats when they start a business, but it can be the difference between joining the 10% of successful new companies, or failing inside your first year.
Meeting and exceeding customer expectations
Keeping focused on your customer is paramount if you want to thrive. To this end, the ISO 9001 standard focuses primarily on the needs of your customers alongside the quality of your products and/or services.
It’s why we start! There’s a demand, and we can fulfil it. A solid framework for keeping your quality of delivery high and ensuring you review consistently will only help keep that going at its best.
Opens new doors
One of the many bonuses of ISO for startups is the ability to respond to customer tenders that are exclusively open to organisations with ISO 9001 certification.
Of course, this depends on the nature of your product or service. But if what you offer is suitable for large organisations, it’s a major advantage.
It empowers you to compete on a playing field that might be out of reach for many. It can give you great competitive edge, particularly when you’re tendering for public sector contracts. You might not be there yet, but the possibility will keep your mind on growth, as will….
Expandability
As your business grows, so too will your management system. You might even choose to work towards one of the other ISO standards, such as Environmental Management (ISO 14001) or Occupational Health & Safety (ISO 45001).
You’ll be pleased to know that all the current standards have been written with a view to aligning with each other, using similar frameworks and language. That means you can certify with other standards, then combine the management systems to run smoothly alongside each other.
ISO certification is so much more than a chore to be undertaken through gritted teeth. Used well, it can be what helps grow that 10% success.
