Breaking Through the Ceiling – What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 30
- 4 min read
Debra Chantry-Taylor helps entrepreneurs & leadership teams break through barriers to succeed in business & life. As an EOS Implementer® & Family Business Advisor, she guides firms to clarify their vision, tackle tough issues & create lasting growth & balance. She is the founder of Business Action & podcast host of Better Business, Better Life!
Many businesses across Australia and New Zealand start with hustle, grit, and a brilliant idea. That energy gets them to early success: a solid team, strong revenue, and a growing reputation.
Then one day, growth slows.
Stress builds.
Profit stalls.
Everything feels harder than it used to.
You’ve hit the ceiling.
It’s a stage every successful business eventually reaches, but very few talk about it. And even fewer know how to break through.
What does “hitting the ceiling” look like?
Here’s how it often shows up:
You're busier than ever, but not seeing real progress.
Issues keep repeating, no matter how many times you solve them.
You can’t seem to get the right people around you.
You’re hiring more, but accountability is slipping.
Every decision seems to come back to you.
Growth has plateaued, or worse, profitability is declining despite revenue increases.
You’re not alone. I’ve seen this with countless businesses, particularly owner-led, mid-sized, and family-run companies.
The harsh truth: What got you here won’t get you there
The entrepreneurial way of doing everything, wearing every hat, and solving problems reactively works for a while.
It gets you through startup, and often through your early scaling phase.
But eventually, the business outgrows the founder. And as the team grows – from 10 to 50 to 150 – the systems, structure, and leadership style that once worked start breaking down.
Unless you evolve – as a leader and as a leadership team – you’ll stall.
And you won’t just hit the ceiling once.
You’ll hit it again at every major inflection point unless you build the muscle to break through.
Why businesses hit the ceiling
From my work as a Certified EOS Implementer™ and Family Business Advisor, I see five main reasons businesses hit the ceiling. In EOS, we call these the Five Leadership Abilities™ – and if any one of them is missing, growth stalls.
1. Lack of simplification
As businesses grow, they get more complex: more products, more people, more processes. Most leaders try to keep everything, but the truth is, complexity kills momentum.
2. Failure to delegate
If everything runs through you, you become the bottleneck. Even great people can’t thrive without clear roles, trust, and ownership.
3. Inability to predict
Growth businesses get stuck reacting. To scale, you need to see around corners – both short-term (weekly metrics) and long-term (vision clarity).
4. Lack of systemization
Scaling requires consistency. If every process lives in someone’s head, things break as you grow. Documented, simplified systems create freedom – not restriction.
5. Structural weakness
The team that got you to $2M might not get you to $10M. You need to evolve your Accountability Chart™, get the right people in the right seats, and address gaps with honesty.
A real example: From chaos to control
A Melbourne-based services business I worked with had grown fast – from founder-led to a team of 58 people in just five years. Revenue was strong, but culture was cracking. Leaders were burning out, customer complaints were increasing, and no one could agree on priorities.
The founder was stuck in every decision. His team was capable, but no one really knew who owned what. Rocks were unclear. Meetings dragged. And he was seriously considering stepping back completely because it all felt too hard.
We started implementing EOS. We:
Built a clear accountability chart™ – redefining every role based on function, not title.
Set rocks – focused 90-day priorities with ownership and traction.
Introduced a weekly Level 10 meeting™ – to create rhythm, solve issues fast, and increase accountability.
Used the V/TO™ to clarify the company’s 10-Year Target, 3-Year Picture, and 1-Year Plan.
Systemized core processes – just enough to create consistency without red tape.
Within six months, the entire leadership team had shifted.
Meetings became productive. People felt empowered. The founder finally had the space to think again, instead of firefighting all day.
Twelve months later, revenue grew another 22%, margins improved, and the founder actually took a holiday.
How EOS helps break through the ceiling
EOS is built for businesses that are scaling. It’s not corporate. It’s not theory. It’s a set of simple, practical tools that solve real issues.
Key tools for breaking through include:
The vision/traction organizer™ (V/TO™) – clarifies vision, direction, and alignment.
The accountability chart™ – creates structure and role clarity.
Rocks – keeps everyone focused on what really moves the needle.
Level 10 meetings™ – ensures weekly discipline, team health, and fast issue-solving.
Scorecard – provides clear metrics to drive prediction and accountability.
You can download these tools for free. Click here.
It’s about helping leadership teams make better decisions, create accountability, and regain control – without losing their entrepreneurial energy.
Final thought: You’re not failing – You’re growing
Hitting the ceiling isn’t a failure. It’s a sign your business has outgrown its current operating system.
And that’s good news because it means there’s more ahead.
The real problem isn’t that you’ve hit the ceiling. It’s thinking you can break through by doing more of what you’ve always done.
If your business feels stuck, chaotic, or plateaued, I can help.
I work with founder-led and family-run businesses across Australia and New Zealand to implement EOS, so they can grow with clarity, confidence, and control.
Debra Chantry-Taylor, Accredited EOS Implementer® | Family Business Advisor | Leadership Coach | Entrepreneur
Debra Chantry-Taylor is an Accredited EOS Implementer®, Certified Leadership Coach & Family Business Advisor with over 30 years of experience in business. She works with entrepreneurs & leadership teams to help them break through barriers, clarify their vision & drive sustainable growth. Debra has supported over 600 business owners across New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Europe, & the USA. Her hands-on experience as a business owner, experiencing both huge success as well as two train wrecks, gives her a unique perspective, helping leaders navigate both successes & setbacks. Passionate about balancing business success with personal life, Debra helps her clients achieve a fulfilling, well-rounded life while growing their businesses.
