Every business owner makes strategic decisions every day, whether they realize it or not. The question is whether those decisions are guided by a clear plan or by reaction. Dr. Connor Robertson at Elixir Consulting Group helps owners think strategically on purpose.
In this article, we break down how to develop a competitive strategy when you are the underdog. These are the strategies we use with clients at Elixir Consulting Group, and they are designed to be practical, actionable, and applicable to businesses of any size.
What to do when things do not go as planned
The businesses that get competitive strategy underdog right share a common trait. They do not try to do everything at once. They start with one area, build a system around it, and then move to the next. This approach works because it builds momentum without overwhelming the team.
The cost of not taking action is real. Every week you operate without clear systems, you are losing time, money, and opportunities. The sooner you start building the right foundation, the sooner your business can reach its potential.
We have found that the most successful business owners are the ones who treat their business like a system, not just a collection of tasks. When you think in systems, you can identify breakdowns, measure performance, and make improvements that stick.
The role of your team in making this work
When we work with a new client at Elixir Consulting Group, the first thing we do is listen. We need to understand where the business is today, where the owner wants it to go, and what is standing in the way. Only then can we build a plan that actually works.
Dr. Connor Robertson often says that the goal of consulting is to make yourself unnecessary. A well-built system should not depend on any single person, including the consultant. That is the standard we hold ourselves to at Elixir Consulting Group.
Why competitive strategy underdog matters for your business
The cost of not taking action is real. Every week you operate without clear systems, you are losing time, money, and opportunities. The sooner you start building the right foundation, the sooner your business can reach its potential.
We have found that the most successful business owners are the ones who treat their business like a system, not just a collection of tasks. When you think in systems, you can identify breakdowns, measure performance, and make improvements that stick.
Practical tips you can use this week
Accountability is the glue that holds all of this together. Without it, even the best plans fall apart. At Elixir Consulting Group, we build accountability into every system we help create. That includes regular check-ins, clear metrics, and defined ownership.
The companies that dominate their markets are the ones that do the boring stuff well. They follow up on time, they deliver what they promise, they communicate clearly, and they hold themselves accountable. That is the standard we help our clients achieve.
The biggest barrier to improvement is not knowledge. It is action. Business owners often know what needs to change but hesitate because the process feels overwhelming. Breaking it down into small, manageable steps is the key to forward progress.
Step two: build the foundation
Consider this: every hour you spend building a system now saves you dozens of hours in the future. That is the return on investment that makes process improvement one of the highest-value activities a business owner can focus on.
Accountability is the glue that holds all of this together. Without it, even the best plans fall apart. At Elixir Consulting Group, we build accountability into every system we help create. That includes regular check-ins, clear metrics, and defined ownership.
The companies that dominate their markets are the ones that do the boring stuff well. They follow up on time, they deliver what they promise, they communicate clearly, and they hold themselves accountable. That is the standard we help our clients achieve.
Get practical help from Elixir Consulting Group
At Elixir Consulting Group, Dr. Connor Robertson helps business owners turn ideas into action. Whether you need help with competitive strategy underdog or a broader operational overhaul, we are here to support you. Reach out to schedule a consultation and see what is possible for your business.
Related articles from Elixir Consulting Group
Continue learning with these related articles from Dr. Connor Robertson at Elixir Consulting Group:
For deeper insights into competitive strategy, see Harvard Business Review’s competitive strategy archive.
Research from Deloitte shows that businesses investing in competitive intelligence outperform their peers by significant margins.