// INDUSTRY INSIGHT //
FIVE FUNDAMENTALS EVERY SMB NEEDS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
Most SMEs hanker after sustainable growth; growing steadily enough to make sure founders can keep up. Bret Tushaus, VP of Product Management at Deltek, explores the five fundamentals project-based SMEs and scaling start-ups need to successfully grow in today’ s uncertain market.
inning more work, expanding
W into new markets and building larger, more capable teams are all clear signals of progress for any business. Momentum like this reflects years of hard work, strong client relationships and the level of ambition required to compete in a fluctuating market.
Growth is most successful when performance can scale with it. In the current economic climate, this has never been more important. Rising business rates, alongside higher wages and energy costs, are encouraging UK firms to rethink how they scale sustainably, with greater focus on resilience, efficiency and long-term competitiveness. Our own Deltek Clarity research found that a third( 33 %) of UK SMEs are already transforming their business models to stay competitive. where the business is heading. So how can firms scale with intention and for the longterm? The answer is in five fundamentals: clarity, control, cash, clients and connection.
The five fundamentals of sustainable growth
First, growth requires clarity. As simple as it may sound, some
// organisations remain held back by an absence of real-time insight, leaving costs and margins down to guesswork. Leaders need a single version of the truth across pipeline, resourcing and finance. This allows firms to respond proactively, making decisions faster and with more confidence.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARPEN VISIBILITY AND GIVE LEADERS A CLEARER VIEW OF WHERE THE BUSINESS IS HEADING.
For project-based firms, such as those in the architecture, engineering and consulting sectors, sustainable growth means maintaining margin, delivery quality, cash discipline and client confidence, all while the business becomes more complex. More clients, more projects and more people create more handoffs, more data and more decisions to make. This is a source of concern for many in 2026, with over a quarter( 27 %) of firms ranking the rising complexity of projects as the number one project management challenge.
However, with the right foundations in place, this complexity does not have to slow firms down. Instead, it is an opportunity to sharpen visibility and give leaders a clearer view of
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