Every business owner wants results. It’s natural. You invest time, money, energy—so of course, you want to see a return. But in the rush to get results now, many fall into the trap of chasing quick wins. These are the flashy, short-term achievements that seem like progress but often lead to shallow outcomes, wasted effort, and long-term problems.
The Illusion of Progress: What Quick Wins Really Offer
Quick wins promise speed. Launch a promo, see a sales spike. Cut some costs, boost margins. Run an ad, get a flood of traffic. These are the business equivalent of junk food—they feel good in the moment but often leave you worse off long-term.
Examples of chasing quick wins:
- Launching frequent discounts to drive sales without a margin strategy
- Cutting staff to make books look better for investors
- Jumping on every trend just to stay “visible”
- Prioritising vanity metrics like likes or clicks instead of conversions
- Focusing on short-term KPIs to please shareholders or investors
In many of the stories shared on In the Trenches podcast, business owners reflect on these exact tactics—realising after the fact that those fast wins led them away from their core purpose and long-term goals.
Why It’s So Tempting to Go After the Easy Win
Let’s not sugar-coat it—running a business is hard. Bills stack up. Teams get restless. Competitors outspend you. When pressure builds, fast results feel like a lifeline.
Here’s why business owners often fall for quick wins:
- Pressure to show performance: Especially when reporting to investors or trying to justify spending.
- Cash flow stress: If you’re tight on funds, any income feels like a win.
- Impatience: Growth takes time, and waiting is uncomfortable.
- Fear of missing out: Seeing competitors land big deals or go viral can trigger reactive behaviour.
- Insecurity: Doubting your core offering can lead you to chase the next shiny object.
In one In the Trenches podcast episode, Alan Chau describes how easy it is to convince yourself that short-term fixes are “strategic decisions”—when really, they’re just reactions to pressure.
The Hidden Cost of Short-Term Thinking
At first glance, chasing a quick win seems harmless—maybe even smart. But over time, the cost becomes clear. These gains usually aren’t sustainable, and they often pull your business away from its foundation.
What it can cost you:
- Brand integrity: Constant discounts or pivots confuse customers and damage trust.
- Team burnout: Sprint after sprint with no real direction drains morale.
- Wasted resources: Effort spent chasing noise could be better used building systems or improving product.
- No real growth: You look busy and successful, but there’s no lasting progress.
- Loss of focus: Chasing small wins distracts from meaningful goals.
Quick wins might create activity—but not always traction. And if you’re not careful, you end up running in circles, always busy, rarely moving forward.
The Long-Term Damage of Building on Weak Foundations
When your strategy relies on short bursts of performance, you’re always one hiccup away from disaster. You haven’t built systems. You haven’t built loyalty. And when things slow down (which they will), you’re left exposed.
Alan Chau shares in In the Trenches podcast that one of the biggest wake-up calls came after experiencing a period of fast growth—followed by operational collapse because the business wasn’t structurally ready for it. It was a classic case of winning too fast and being unprepared.
Signs you’re building on shaky ground:
- Constant firefighting and no time to plan
- Poor retention of staff and customers
- Revenue spikes followed by long plateaus or declines
- Team confusion about goals and priorities
- Dependence on external hype or trends for traction
If any of these feel familiar, it’s time to reassess what you’re building—and how.
How to Break the Cycle of Quick-Win Thinking
If you’re used to operating in fast-response mode, slowing down and thinking long-term can feel risky. But it’s necessary.
1. Ask yourself: “What am I really building?”
Are you creating a business that can last 5–10 years, or just trying to survive this month? Revisit your vision and long-term goals regularly.
2. Replace hacks with habits
Don’t rely on last-minute deals or panic marketing. Build habits: content strategies, regular follow-ups, monthly reviews. These systems compound over time.
3. Educate your team and stakeholders
Help your team understand the value of long-term thinking. It’s easier to say “no” to shortcuts when everyone’s aligned around a bigger goal.
4. Stop comparing your journey to others
What works for someone else’s business might wreck yours. Your growth path is unique—stick to what’s strategic for your situation.
5. Plan for endurance
Even if you need to make short-term moves, do so in a way that fits into a bigger strategy. Temporary wins shouldn’t derail your long-term game plan.
Final Thoughts: Quick Wins Are a Trap—Don’t Fall For It
There’s nothing wrong with small victories. Every business needs them. But when those wins become your entire strategy, the long-term damage is inevitable.
Don’t confuse motion for progress. Just because something delivers results fast doesn’t mean it’s worth it. Some of the best decisions you’ll ever make in business won’t show results immediately—but they will compound in your favour over time.
