Everyone in business has had to overcome challenges. I know I have had several! Sometimes it is just nice to know others have faced similar problems and found a way to overcome. This is why I enjoyed asking and learning from our expert panel, just what it is they deemed challenging.  Make no doubt about it, these people are very intelligent and great business people, so I was very interested in some of the responses as they were still issues many of them face today. Moral of the story? When one challenge is overcome, another presents itself.

This group of experts answered the question, “What is the biggest hurdle you have had to overcome in business?“

We face two great hurdles in our business. The first hurdle is with our clients and the second hurdle is with our sales teams. The biggest hurdle with our clients is discovering their differentiation. Many business owners look to their competition to define their products and services and then suggest that they provide higher quality and better service as the way to distinguish themselves. These platitudes do little to move prospective customers their direction and we must continuously dig deeper to uncover the unique value proposition that each client can bring to market. The biggest hurdle with our sales team is getting them to do the activity that is essential for success. We employ rigorous recruiting processes, provide continuous training and our sales managers are capable of effective motivation and management. Alas, some will, some won’t … so we are prepared to quickly move on to “next” with those who simply can’t get off the couch to go see the people.

Architect and genius behind brilliant and innovative outsourcing sales and marketing company called Synergy Sales & Marketing. Synergy Sales & Marketing is capable of producing massive increases in sales with a proven, integrated marketing and sales program.

My biggest hurdle has been, and still is, time management. With all the projects happening at once, managing time and details can get tough.

Gelie is the founder of NetworkingPhoenix.com, an online resource that has become the Valley’s leading resource for professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners looking to network and connect locally..

Managing growth. We all view growth as good, but often it has bad consequences. It  adds stress to an organization’s culture, processes, controls and staff.  As our company continues to grow quickly, it’s difficult to manage hiring, existing staff and quality control. It’s a juggling act that ebbs and flows and challenges us constantly.

I’m the managing partner of an advertising and design agency Davidson & Belluso  based in Phoenix. With over 15 years in advertising and graphic design I’ve pretty much seen and done it all. .

The biggest hurdle in any business is how to keep things simple so you can get it done quickly and effectively in our ever-changing internet cloud culture. I am particularly attuned to the issue of simplicity because it goes in keeping an ancient worldview called wabi-sabi, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU6_2azxEA4) that fosters a more ”perfectly imperfect” simpler lifestyle.  From the business perspective, I try to prescribe to the methodology of Eric Ries (http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/) and his book, The Lean Startup, http://theleanstartup.com/. Ries suggests we learn to “Build-Measure-Learn” when running a company, especially a startup. He explains, “Instead of making complex plans that are based on a lot of assumptions, you can make constant adjustments with a steering wheel called the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop. He defines the inevitable sharp turn in strategy that comes as we “Learn” from our customers and the market as a “pivot,” a critical concept in being a lean  more ”wabi-sabi” organization. This keeps you from trying to “get it right” instead of wasting time and resources trying to “get it perfect.” The idea sounds simple enough but, it turns out that while “less is more,” it is harder than you think to achieve a lean startup or company. When you are developing a product, service, anything, really, you tend to be protective of it. Raising a company is like a child — you want it to go to the best schools, eat the best foods, have the most fun, etc.. But, it turns out, what they both really need is quality – not quantity. Focused attention and intelligent choices based on tried and true experience. Here’s an example from my own startup company, Buzzuka.com — the place for people to quickly and easily create their 30-second elevator pitch and promote it to build their “buzz.” Well, even though Buzzuka is, by definition, all about helping people simplify their message — a big hurdle is for us is to quickly and efficiently find the next feature to add from a roadmap of hundreds of possibilities. When we apply the Build-Measure-Learn mantra we could more easily added a set of simple, new features that we are now about to roll out to our market to help members build their buzz. Next, we will Measure-Learn and Build again. The challenges of business are great enough — having smart, strategic tools and models like these help you stay on the track to success.

Founder of Satow Strategies a brand marketing consultancy, and CoFounder of Buzzuka, the Pitch Place.

The biggest hurdle I ever had to overcome, was surviving the recession of the last three years. We were lucky to have enough equity in our homes, IRA’s and insurance policies that we could borrow against. We were also able to borrow from family members. The banks and traditional lenders were absolutely no help whatsoever! Fortunately and by the Grace of God, we’re now through the worst and looking forward to a better future.

Malcolm is the CEO of SmartWrap, the CEO at SmartShield, and the Owner of Inyati Truck Bedliners.

To give some context to my answer I first wanted to give a brief idea of what was happening at the time I started Printing Solutions. Prior to Printing Solutions I owned a company distributing office equipment throughout the Phoenix area. In 2007, we discovered a need for reasonably priced business and commercial printing. Throughout 2007, I also realized the economy was quickly changing and it was going to be a difficult road ahead. Through this discovery I knew the days of my aggressive sales style were not going to be effective in the coming years. Since 2008 I have focused entirely on building relationships with the ‘right’ people and no longer considered myself a sales person, but a trusted extension of the businesses I serve. This transition was not like turning around a canoe, but a cruise liner. It took 3 years for us to develop out our model, but it is the most rewarding change I have ever made. We have grown 60% every year and are driven to assist our clients in communicating their passion and making an emotional connection.

Matt Blanton is the President and CEO of Printing Solutions, LLC and works closely with companies to assess their current printing and production environments to create a more marketable, effective, and efficient portfolio.

Managing innovation. With so many technologies coming out, how do you bet on the right one or even know which ones will make it and which one won’t. So many times we are shown products or software that appears to have a chance to be a breakthrough and it doesn’t have staying power for one reason or another. Imagine if you had decided that the new HP device to compete against the ipad had all the qualities you needed for your customer service people. You invest in the technology, have programs written to work with it, and not too long afterwards HP kills the product and you have wasted quite a bit of time and money.

John is the owner of DesignAShirt.com and the President of Anton Sport.

I thought about this question a number of times but each time seemed to reach the same conclusion … I would have to say that the biggest hurdle I’ve had to overcome in business has probably been “me”. Often entrepreneurs/businessmen/inventors make the decision to launch their own business, based upon a product, a service an invention or an idea and set about the task of establishing their business. Many new business owners fall into the common trap of assuming they can perform all roles just as well as each other, whether conducting sales, developing marketing collateral, maintaining the books, hiring new employees and growing the business, but the truth of the matter is that it is rarely true. Once I realized that my skill set didn’t lie in every area of the business and when I subsequently sought out the right people for those roles I wasn’t qualified to be running or managing then my business took a turn for the better.

Justin serves as Project Manager at 5 Pints Productions for web design, web programming & web development services and is a Video Producer for HD video productions & Live Events.