As the year progressively draws to a close, discussions about corporate expansion, resilience, and survival have taken centre stage. As they strategically position their companies for 2026, entrepreneurs from a variety of industries are assessing the economic reality of the previous year. Astute business executives are increasingly looking at how this change might lead to better planning, increased operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability, even in the face of economic downturns, as inflation has moderated to 14.45 percent.
A recent episode of BusinessDay Television’s (BDTV) SME Clinic featured these pertinent conversations. The programme brings together seasoned individuals from a variety of industries to exchange useful advice, tried-and-true tactics, and firsthand knowledge with the goal of assisting entrepreneurs in creating robust, lucrative, and flexible companies that can prosper in a range of economic circumstances.
Success Ajilore, CEO of Accelerated Plus and Success Transformation Network, was one of the episode’s main speakers. With more than 11 years of experience as a business analyst and strategist, Ajilore is well-known for her breadth of expertise and pragmatic approach to company expansion. Both seasoned business owners and those just starting out found great resonance in the ideas she shared throughout the seminar.
Ajilore emphasised that a fundamental change in perspective is necessary to survive and prosper during difficult economic times. She asserts that entrepreneurs need to switch from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” business approach. Practically speaking, this entails determining exactly what is necessary for the company’s survival and expansion and giving those components top priority.
The significance of automation and the strategic application of artificial intelligence (AI) were two other significant contributions made by Ajilore. She pointed out that AI is now a tool that organisations need to comprehend and use efficiently rather than a futuristic idea. It is an effective instrument that can help your company achieve its goals. AI may be utilised to generate innovative and successful ideas, lower operating costs, and increase productivity and speed. She also emphasised that those who employ AI frequently gain a competitive edge and urged business owners to learn more about its uses within their particular industries.
Ajilore highlighted the necessity of bolstering recurring revenue streams in addition to automation. In addition to stabilising cash flow, recurring revenue gives business owners greater confidence when making plans for investment, growth, and expansion. In addition, she counselled business owners to concentrate on enhancing the effectiveness of their operational teams since operational productivity frequently dictates overall corporate performance.
She also mentioned cybersecurity and data privacy as important issues. Ajilore cautioned that companies are more susceptible to cyberattacks as they depend more on digital tools. She pointed out that some people deliberately try to breach company data, steal tactics, or compromise private information in order to utilise it to expand their own businesses, mostly for their own benefit. She believes that cybersecurity should be considered an essential investment rather than a choice. Trust and long-term reliability depend on safeguarding client information, internal documents, and proprietary tactics.
In her concluding remarks, Ajilore provided guidance specific to two groups: entrepreneurs who have not yet achieved stability and those who intend to launch a business in 2026. She advised current business owners to evaluate their operations honestly, noting what has succeeded, what has failed, and what requires improvement. Don’t jump into the new year without doing a thorough assessment of your company.
She advised prospective business owners to look for partnerships with comparable companies and to maximise the use of AI as a strategic advantage. Partnerships, in her opinion, can lower expenses, boost growth, and provide new opportunities. In the end, she reaffirmed the notion that creating companies that can prosper in any economic environment requires deliberate planning, flexibility, and ongoing learning.
