The CEO's Playbook: Winning Business Strategy for 2035

In today's rapidly changing global economy, CEOs of small-to-medium businesses face a mix of unprecedented opportunities and significant risks. A long-term strategy that balances innovation, technology integration, and sustainability isn't just an option, it's essential for survival and growth. This playbook outlines practical frameworks and future-proofing techniques to help leaders craft a winning strategy for the next decade, ensuring growth, resilience, and a lasting competitive advantage.

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Why Strategy Demands a New Mindset

The pace of change has never been faster. Emerging technologies, shifting consumer expectations, and intensified global competition are reshaping industries, leaving little room for complacency. The strategies that worked five years ago are unlikely to be effective in the decade ahead. For New Zealand businesses, the global market is more accessible than ever, but it also brings new vulnerabilities. Digital transformation, automation, and AI are democratising opportunity while simultaneously intensifying competition. Meanwhile, sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) responsibilities are now critical factors shaping investment and customer loyalty.

At Josty, we believe empowering growth requires more than reacting to trends. It demands a proactive approach to business model innovation, underpinned by clear strategic planning, robust leadership development, and a commitment to continuous corporate development. The next decade will reward businesses that blend market analysis, data analytics, and risk management with a culture of agility and resilience.

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Core Elements of a Winning Business Strategy

A long-term strategy provides stability and direction in a world defined by volatility and uncertainty. Key factors driving this need include:

• Globalisation: SMEs must both compete globally and defend against international competitors in local markets.

• Technological disruption: Technology presents both a risk (e.g., cybersecurity threats) and an opportunity (e.g., automation).

• Customer expectations: Modern consumers demand innovation, sustainability, and digital-first experiences.

Future-proofing your business is about adaptability, not just efficiency. You must invest in innovation to stay relevant and build resilience into your operations by diversifying supply chains and adopting flexible business models.

Here are the core elements to focus on:

• Market Analysis and Foresight: A deep understanding of the market is the foundation of strategic planning. Use data analytics to track customer needs, competitor moves, and industry shifts. Conduct regular market analysis and invest in scenario planning to test the resilience of your strategy against multiple futures.

• Technology Integration and Digital Transformation: Digital tools are no longer optional. Implementing automation can reduce costs, while leveraging AI can enhance forecasting and customer personalisation. Prioritise cybersecurity to protect your business in a digital-first world.

• Building Competitive Advantage Through Leadership and Culture: A winning strategy is executed by people. Strong leadership and a resilient organisational culture are crucial differentiators. Foster a culture of innovation, invest in leadership development at every level, and encourage cross-functional collaboration to enhance agility.

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Practical Frameworks for the Next Decade

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Data analytics is a central driver of business innovation. Leaders must embed data into everyday decision-making, using analytics for predictive modelling and customer insights.

• Sustainability and ESG Considerations: Sustainability is no longer a choice it's a requirement from investors, customers, and regulators. Embedding ESG principles into your strategic planning can drive efficiency and enhance brand reputation.

• Risk Management and Adaptability: The only certainty about the next decade is uncertainty. Build risk management into your strategy by identifying key risks, creating contingency plans, and building flexibility into your organisational structure to pivot quickly.

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Emerging Trends Every CEO Must Watch

• AI, Automation, and Data Analytics: These technologies will redefine industries, driving efficiency and unlocking new opportunities. Businesses that embrace them early will establish a significant competitive advantage.

• Talent Management and Leadership Development: Future success hinges on your people. Retaining top talent requires a focus on organisational culture, flexible work models, and continuous leadership development.

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Expanding the Playbook: Strategic Priorities

• Customer-Centric Innovation: Place your customers at the heart of every decision. Use technology for personalisation and build feedback loops to act on customer insights in real-time.

• Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystems: No business operates in isolation. The future will reward companies that build strong ecosystems of partners and suppliers. Explore cross-industry alliances and consider mergers and acquisitions to accelerate growth.

• Agility in Business Model Innovation: The ability to pivot quickly will define the winners of 2035. Treat business model innovation as an ongoing process, whether through new subscription models, platform strategies, or hybrid operations.

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A 10-Step CEO Action Plan for 2035

1. Define Your Long-Term Vision: Create a clear strategic direction for the next decade.

2. Conduct Deep Market Analysis: Use data analytics to understand customers, competitors, and regulatory changes.

3. Prioritise Digital Transformation: Invest in automation, AI, and cybersecurity as core enablers.

4. Embed ESG into Strategy: Align operations with sustainability goals.

5. Strengthen Organisational Culture: Build a culture of innovation, wellbeing, and leadership development.

6. Diversify and Build Partnerships: Reduce dependency on single suppliers and explore collaborations.

7. Adopt Agile Business Models: Be ready to pivot with new revenue streams and offerings.

8. Build Robust Risk Management Frameworks: Prepare for supply chain, financial, and technology disruptions.

9. Set Measurable KPIs and Governance: Track progress with clear metrics and leadership accountability.

10. Commit to Continuous Adaptation: Treat your strategy as a living framework, refined regularly to align with new trends.

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Final Thoughts: Building the Strategy for 2035

The path to 2035 won't be linear. The challenges of globalisation, technological disruption, and sustainability will continue to reshape industries. However, with the right long-term strategy, small-to-medium New Zealand businesses can thrive.

At Josty, we are committed to empowering growth and securing success for businesses across New Zealand. Our expertise in strategic planning, leadership development, and corporate advisory equips SMEs with the tools they need to build winning strategies for the decade ahead. The next 10 years will reward organisations that act boldly, innovate consistently, and cultivate resilience at every level.

Post Written by Jason Jost

Are You Project-Ready? 5 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Consultant

Hiring a consultant can be a game-changer for your business, providing the expertise, focus, and fresh perspective needed to tackle a critical project. Whether you're launching a new product, upgrading IT systems, or entering new markets, the right partner can accelerate your success.

However, a common pitfall we've seen at Josty is businesses engaging consultants before they're truly project ready. This lack of preparation can lead to stalled projects, wasted money, and frustrated teams. Being project-ready means more than just having an idea; it means your business has clarified objectives, aligned stakeholders, allocated resources, and created a solid foundation for collaboration. Without this essential groundwork, even the best consultant will struggle to deliver the outcomes you expect.

At Josty, we believe in setting businesses up for sustainable success. That's why we've developed a simple checklist of five critical questions to help you assess your readiness. By asking these questions before you hire, you'll protect your investment, avoid wasted time, and maximize the value of your consultant engagement.

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The 5 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Consultant

1. Do You Have Clarity on Your Project Objectives?

A consultant can't help you reach your destination if you don't know where you're going. The first step to project readiness is having clear, measurable objectives. Vague statements like "we need to improve operations" are not objectives, they are ambitions.

Why clarity matters:

• Consultants need a clear anchor for their recommendations.

• Ambiguity leads to scope creep, budget overruns, and conflicting expectations.

• Clear objectives allow you to measure success and hold everyone accountable.

Checklist for clarity:

• What specific problem are we solving?

• What outcome would define success?

• Are the objectives SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)?

Example: Instead of "upgrade IT systems," a clear objective is: “Implement a new ERP system within 12 months to improve inventory accuracy by 30% and reduce order fulfillment time by 20%.”

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2. Can Your Current Team Balance Operations and the Project?

This is one of the biggest reasons businesses fail with consultants: they expect staff to maintain daily operations while simultaneously leading a major project. Your team may be talented, but their bandwidth is finite.

We've seen this play out countless times. In one case, staff were asked to manage customer service and a system upgrade at the same time. The result? Customers were neglected, staff burned out, and the project was eventually abandoned.

Key considerations:

• Do we have the capacity to take on a project without sacrificing performance?

• Who will be responsible for project leadership?

• Will we need external support for backfilling daily roles?

• Are we willing to dedicate internal champions who can work alongside the consultant?

The framework: Think of a project like rowing a boat. If half your crew is also trying to bail water, the boat will move much slower or worse, it might sink. Consulting works best when clients allocate dedicated time and people to collaborate with external experts. Business readiness means honestly assessing your team's capacity to avoid the trap of asking a consultant to carry the full weight of the project alone.

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3. Have You Defined Scope, Timelines, and Resources Realistically?

Projects often collapse not because of poor consulting, but because of unrealistic planning. One of the first things we assess at Josty is whether a client has a grounded definition of their scope, timelines, and resources.

Common pitfalls:

• Expecting "too much, too fast" (e.g., launching into new markets in six weeks with no research).

• Underestimating the budget (e.g., expecting an enterprise-grade solution on a small-business budget).

• Overloading the scope (e.g., trying to roll out three new systems at once).

Business readiness questions:

• Is the scope clearly defined and agreed upon?

• Have we built in contingency for time and budget overruns?

• Are our expectations aligned with industry benchmarks and consultant recommendations?

• Do we have a resourcing plan for people, technology, and funding?

A consultant thrives in a structured environment. Without a defined scope, timelines, and resources, they spend their time firefighting instead of delivering value.

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4. Do You Have Internal Alignment and Stakeholder Buy-In?

Even the best project plan can fall apart if internal stakeholders aren't aligned. We've worked with businesses where one department is excited about change while another fiercely resists it. The consultant gets caught in the middle, and momentum is lost.

Signs of poor alignment:

• Conflicting messages from leadership.

• Teams treating the project as "management's idea" rather than a shared initiative.

• Stakeholders withholding cooperation until they see proof of benefit.

Business readiness checklist:

• Have all relevant departments been consulted in the early planning stages?

• Has leadership agreed on the importance of this project?

• Are communication channels in place to keep everyone informed?

Part of being project-ready is ensuring a united front. Consultants cannot replace leadership buy-in. If your leaders are divided, staff will mirror that uncertainty. Hold an internal readiness workshop to clarify roles, address concerns, and create a sense of shared ownership.

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5. Are You Prepared to Collaborate Effectively with a Consultant?

Finally, ask yourself: are you ready to treat your consultant as a partner rather than a vendor? Many businesses view consulting as a "handover" exercise: "Here's the problem, fix it." But sustainable outcomes only happen when the client collaborates actively.

Effective collaboration requires:

• Transparency: Sharing the full picture, not just selective information.

• Responsiveness: Making decisions promptly when consultants need input.

• Trust: Respecting the consultant's expertise while contributing your business knowledge.

• Accountability: Recognizing that project outcomes are shared, not outsourced.

The business readiness mindset is this: you don't hire a consultant to "do the project for you." You hire them to accelerate, guide, and strengthen your project journey. The consultant brings external expertise, but you bring the critical context, commitment, and execution capacity.

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Final Thoughts: The Reality of Project Readiness

Engaging a consultant can be a turning point for your business, but only if you're ready. The five questions in this guide reflect the real-world challenges we’ve seen businesses face at Josty: unclear objectives, over-stretched teams, unrealistic timelines, weak stakeholder buy-in, and poor collaboration.

By asking yourself these questions, you're not just protecting your investment, you're empowering growth and setting yourself up for success. Readiness doesn't mean perfection; it means clarity, alignment, and commitment.

The question isn’t just whether you need a consultant. The real question is: are you project-ready?