Find your expert
Business Challenge Matrix
Not sure which expert you need? Start with the challenge your business is facing right now. Our matrix breaks common problems into clear categories, describes the symptoms to look for, and suggests the type of expert who can help. You can also filter by category or search by keyword.
Each challenge is linked to a real specialist in our network. Click the expert to view their profile, watch their interview, and connect on LinkedIn.
122 matches
Step 1
Pick or search your challenge
Use the search bar or category filter to find the issue that matches your situation.
Step 2
Check the symptoms
Each challenge shows the signs that tell you it is the right problem to solve first.
Step 3
Connect with an expert
Click the expert link to view their profile, watch their interview, and connect on LinkedIn.
Financial Performance
Rising Operational Costs
Profit declining despite stable sales; supplier price increases; overhead costs rising.
Expert needed
Cost Reduction Specialist, Procurement Consultant, Fractional CFO
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Financial Performance
Tight Margins
High revenue but low profit; excessive discounting.
Expert needed
Pricing Consultant, Fractional CFO
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Financial Performance
Weak Cost Control
Budget overruns; uncontrolled spending; poor visibility.
Expert needed
Finance Consultant, CFO Advisor
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Financial Performance
Cash Flow Problems
Cash shortages; late supplier payments; overdraft dependency.
Expert needed
Fractional CFO, Financial Controller
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Financial Performance
Poor Liquidity Visibility
No cash forecasting; financial surprises.
Expert needed
FP&A Consultant, CFO Advisor
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Financial Performance
Access to Finance Constraints
Funding applications unsuccessful; growth delayed.
Expert needed
Funding Specialist, Corporate Finance Advisor
From our network
Financial Performance
Tax Burden & Regulatory Costs
Rising compliance and taxation costs.
Expert needed
Tax Advisor, Compliance Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Generating New Business
Weak pipeline; low lead flow; reliance on referrals.
Expert needed
Business Development Consultant, GTM Consultant
From our network
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Pipeline Growth Challenges
Insufficient sales opportunities.
Expert needed
Lead Generation Specialist, Sales Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Lead Conversion Challenges
Many meetings but few deals.
Expert needed
Sales Consultant, Sales Coach
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Weak Pricing Power
Constant discount requests; price competition.
Expert needed
Pricing Consultant, Marketing Strategist
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Poor Sales & Marketing Alignment
Sales and marketing disconnected.
Expert needed
Revenue Operations Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Unclear Commercial Strategy
No clear growth approach.
Expert needed
Strategy Consultant, GTM Consultant
From our network
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Limited Market Expansion
Difficulty entering new markets.
Expert needed
Market Expansion Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Export Barriers
Challenges with international growth.
Expert needed
International Trade Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Rising Competition
Losing market share; increasing pressure.
Expert needed
Strategy Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Differentiation Pressure
Customers cannot see unique value.
Expert needed
Brand Consultant
From our network
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Customer Retention Issues
Repeat business declining.
Expert needed
Customer Success Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Customer Churn
Customers leaving competitors.
Expert needed
Customer Experience Consultant
From our network
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Service Complaints
Increasing complaints and poor reviews.
Expert needed
Quality Consultant, CX Consultant
From our network
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Reputation Management Challenges
Brand perception affecting growth.
Expert needed
PR Consultant
From our network
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Inconsistent Customer Experience
Different customer experiences across teams.
Expert needed
Service Design Consultant
From our network
Revenue Growth & Market Position
Difficulty Building Trust
Long buying cycles; low credibility.
Expert needed
Brand Consultant, Communications Consultant
From our network
People, Talent & Leadership
Hiring Skilled Employees
Vacancies difficult to fill.
Expert needed
Recruitment Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
People, Talent & Leadership
Labour Shortages
Insufficient workforce capacity.
Expert needed
Workforce Planning Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
People, Talent & Leadership
Wage Inflation
Salary expectations rising.
Expert needed
HR Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
People, Talent & Leadership
High Employee Turnover
Frequent resignations.
Expert needed
HR Consultant, Talent Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
People, Talent & Leadership
Bad Hires
Poor employee fit and performance.
Expert needed
Recruitment Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
People, Talent & Leadership
Poor Role Clarity
Employees unclear about responsibilities.
Expert needed
Organisational Design Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
People, Talent & Leadership
Weak Performance Management
Lack of accountability and objective setting.
Expert needed
Performance Management Specialist
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
People, Talent & Leadership
Inconsistent Feedback
Employees lack coaching and development.
Expert needed
Leadership Coach
From our network
People, Talent & Leadership
Leadership Capability Gaps
Managers struggle to lead effectively.
Expert needed
Executive Coach
From our network
People, Talent & Leadership
Talent Strategy Gaps
No workforce development plan.
Expert needed
Talent Strategy Consultant
From our network
People, Talent & Leadership
Succession Planning Weaknesses
Business depends on key individuals.
Expert needed
Leadership Consultant
From our network
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Low Employee Morale
Disengagement; low productivity; complaints.
Expert needed
Employee Engagement Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Employee Burnout
Exhaustion; stress; increased absence.
Expert needed
Burnout Specialist, Wellbeing Consultant
From our network
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Mental Wellbeing Challenges
Anxiety, stress, emotional fatigue.
Expert needed
Mental Health Consultant
From our network
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Workplace Stress Management Issues
High pressure and reduced concentration.
Expert needed
Stress Management Coach
From our network
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Leadership Burnout
Founder exhaustion; decision fatigue.
Expert needed
Executive Coach
From our network
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Psychological Safety Issues
Employees afraid to speak up.
Expert needed
Organisational Psychologist
From our network
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Poor Work-Life Balance
Excessive overtime and dissatisfaction.
Expert needed
Wellbeing Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Absenteeism & Presenteeism
Frequent sick leave or low performance.
Expert needed
Occupational Health Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Team Conflict & Emotional Tension
Relationship breakdowns and tension.
Expert needed
Conflict Resolution Specialist
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Change Fatigue
Resistance to change initiatives.
Expert needed
Change Management Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Lack of Resilience
Teams struggle with setbacks.
Expert needed
Resilience Coach
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Mental Health, Wellbeing & Culture
Trauma & Critical Incident Impact
Impact of crisis, restructuring, layoffs.
Expert needed
Workplace Psychologist
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Day-to-Day Firefighting
Constant operational problem-solving.
Expert needed
Fractional COO
From our network
Operations & Delivery
Inefficient Workflows
Slow and wasteful processes.
Expert needed
Lean Consultant
From our network
Operations & Delivery
Excessive Manual Administration
Spreadsheet dependency; repetitive work.
Expert needed
Automation Consultant, AI Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Disconnected Teams
Organisational silos.
Expert needed
Organisational Development Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Poor Internal Coordination
Delays and conflicting priorities.
Expert needed
PMO Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Unclear Accountability
No ownership of outcomes.
Expert needed
Leadership Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Supply Chain Disruption
Supplier delays and shortages.
Expert needed
Supply Chain Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Delivery Delays
Missed deadlines.
Expert needed
Operations Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Inventory Issues
Overstocking or shortages.
Expert needed
Inventory Specialist
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Delivery Bottlenecks
Capacity constraints.
Expert needed
Operational Excellence Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Operations & Delivery
Scaling Challenges
Growth causing operational strain.
Expert needed
Scale-Up Consultant
From our network
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
Keeping Up with Technology Change
Falling behind competitors technologically.
Expert needed
Technology Advisor
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
Outdated Systems
Legacy systems causing inefficiency.
Expert needed
IT Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
System Integration Challenges
Disconnected systems and duplicate data.
Expert needed
Integration Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
Limited Real-Time Data
Poor visibility and reporting.
Expert needed
BI Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
Poor Management Visibility
Leaders lack performance insights.
Expert needed
Analytics Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
Complex Digital Transformation
Large transformation projects failing.
Expert needed
Digital Transformation Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
AI Adoption Challenges
Low AI usage and unclear AI strategy.
Expert needed
AI Consultant, AI Trainer
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
Cybersecurity Risks
Security vulnerabilities and threats.
Expert needed
Cybersecurity Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Technology, AI & Digital Capability
Data Protection Concerns
GDPR and privacy compliance risks.
Expert needed
Data Protection Consultant
From our network
Strategy & Business Growth
Lack of Strategic Direction
Unclear vision and priorities.
Expert needed
Strategy Consultant
From our network
Strategy & Business Growth
Weak Scale-Up Plans
Growth creating chaos.
Expert needed
Scale-Up Consultant
From our network
Strategy & Business Growth
Founder Overload
Founder involved in everything.
Expert needed
Executive Coach, Fractional COO
From our network
Strategy & Business Growth
Leadership Overload
Senior team overwhelmed.
Expert needed
Leadership Coach
From our network
Strategy & Business Growth
Leaders Trapped in Operations
No time for strategic work.
Expert needed
Fractional COO
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Strategy & Business Growth
Time Pressure on Leaders
Constant firefighting.
Expert needed
Productivity Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Strategy & Business Growth
Weak Execution Discipline
Projects not completed.
Expert needed
PMO Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Strategy & Business Growth
Poor Accountability
Missed objectives and weak ownership.
Expert needed
Performance Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Strategy & Business Growth
Balancing Growth & Profitability
Growth reducing financial health.
Expert needed
Fractional CFO
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Strategy & Business Growth
Balancing Growth & Resilience
Growth increasing risk exposure.
Expert needed
Risk Consultant
From our network
Risk, Compliance & Governance
Regulatory Change
New regulations impacting operations.
Expert needed
Regulatory Advisor
From our network
Risk, Compliance & Governance
Compliance Burden
Increased reporting and governance demands.
Expert needed
Compliance Consultant
From our network
Risk, Compliance & Governance
Business Rates Complexity
Rising property-related costs.
Expert needed
Property Tax Specialist
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
Risk, Compliance & Governance
Taxation Complexity
Complex tax obligations.
Expert needed
Tax Advisor
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
External Market & Economic Pressures
Cost-of-Living Impact on Demand
Customers reducing spending.
Expert needed
Revenue Growth Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
External Market & Economic Pressures
Market Uncertainty
Delayed purchasing and investment decisions.
Expert needed
Strategy Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
External Market & Economic Pressures
Supply Chain Volatility
Unpredictable supply and pricing.
Expert needed
Supply Chain Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
External Market & Economic Pressures
Energy Price Volatility
Rapid changes in energy costs.
Expert needed
Energy Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
External Market & Economic Pressures
Wage Volatility
Labour cost fluctuations.
Expert needed
HR Consultant
From our network
Coming soon. Browse all experts.
External Market & Economic Pressures
Post-Growth Instability
Operational instability after rapid growth.
Expert needed
Scale-Up Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Strategy Development
No clear AI vision, roadmap, or priorities; AI initiatives are ad hoc; leadership lacks alignment.
Expert needed
AI Strategy Consultant, Digital Transformation Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Readiness Assessment
Uncertainty about whether people, data, systems, or processes are ready for AI adoption.
Expert needed
AI Readiness Consultant, AI Transformation Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Identifying AI Opportunities
Leaders struggle to identify where AI can deliver measurable business value.
Expert needed
AI Business Consultant, Innovation Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Building an AI Business Case
AI investments lack ROI justification or executive support.
Expert needed
AI Strategy Consultant, Business Case Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Executive AI Education
Leadership lacks understanding of AI capabilities, limitations, and risks.
Expert needed
Executive AI Trainer, AI Education Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Skills Development
Employees lack confidence and practical AI skills.
Expert needed
AI Trainer, Learning & Development Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Employee AI Adoption
Staff rarely use AI or use it inconsistently across departments.
Expert needed
AI Adoption Consultant, Change Management Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Change Management
Resistance to AI; fear of job loss; low engagement with AI initiatives.
Expert needed
Change Management Consultant, Organisational Development Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Culture Development
Innovation culture is weak; employees are reluctant to experiment with AI.
Expert needed
Culture Consultant, Innovation Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Productivity Improvement
Teams spend excessive time on repetitive manual work.
Expert needed
AI Productivity Consultant, Process Improvement Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Process Automation
Manual administrative processes remain inefficient and resource-intensive.
Expert needed
AI Automation Consultant, Business Process Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Workflow Design
AI tools are disconnected from existing business processes.
Expert needed
Workflow Automation Consultant, AI Solutions Architect
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Decision Support
Management decisions rely on intuition instead of AI-powered insights and analytics.
Expert needed
Data Analytics Consultant, AI Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Customer Service
Customer support is slow, inconsistent, or costly.
Expert needed
AI Customer Experience Consultant, Conversational AI Specialist
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Sales Enablement
Sales teams spend excessive time on administration, prospecting, or proposal writing.
Expert needed
AI Sales Consultant, Revenue Enablement Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Marketing Optimisation
Marketing content production is slow; campaigns lack personalisation or efficiency.
Expert needed
AI Marketing Consultant, Digital Marketing Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI HR Transformation
Recruitment, onboarding, and HR administration remain largely manual.
Expert needed
AI HR Consultant, HR Technology Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Knowledge Management
Knowledge is difficult to find and remains trapped in documents or employees' experience.
Expert needed
Knowledge Management Consultant, AI Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Data Quality
Poor-quality or inconsistent data prevents effective AI implementation.
Expert needed
Data Consultant, Data Governance Specialist
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Data Governance
No clear ownership of AI-related data, privacy, or governance policies.
Expert needed
Data Governance Consultant, Compliance Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Selecting AI Tools
Too many AI platforms; uncertainty about which tools fit business needs.
Expert needed
AI Technology Advisor, AI Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI System Integration
AI applications do not integrate with CRM, ERP, HR, or operational systems.
Expert needed
Solution Architect, Systems Integration Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Custom AI Solution Development
Off-the-shelf AI tools cannot meet specific business requirements.
Expert needed
AI Solutions Architect, AI Software Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Generative AI Adoption
Employees use ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, or Claude inconsistently or insecurely.
Expert needed
Generative AI Consultant, AI Trainer
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Agent Development
The business wants AI assistants to automate workflows but lacks implementation expertise.
Expert needed
AI Agent Developer, AI Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Prompt Engineering
Employees generate inconsistent AI results because prompts are ineffective.
Expert needed
Prompt Engineering Specialist, AI Trainer
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Governance
No AI usage policies, ownership, approval process, or ethical guidelines.
Expert needed
AI Governance Advisor, Responsible AI Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Risk Management
Concerns about AI errors, bias, legal exposure, or reputational damage.
Expert needed
AI Risk Consultant, Risk Management Advisor
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Compliance
AI usage may conflict with GDPR, copyright, industry regulations, or future AI legislation.
Expert needed
AI Compliance Consultant, Regulatory Advisor
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Security
Employees upload confidential information into public AI tools; security controls are unclear.
Expert needed
AI Security Consultant, Cybersecurity Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Ethics
Concerns around bias, fairness, transparency, and responsible AI use.
Expert needed
Responsible AI Consultant, AI Ethics Advisor
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Performance Measurement
AI projects lack KPIs or measurable business outcomes.
Expert needed
AI Performance Consultant, Business Analyst
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Scaling AI Across the Business
AI pilots remain isolated and never become enterprise-wide capabilities.
Expert needed
AI Transformation Consultant, Programme Manager
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
Managing AI Vendors
Difficulty evaluating AI suppliers, contracts, and technology choices.
Expert needed
Technology Procurement Consultant, AI Advisor
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Innovation Management
The organisation struggles to prioritise and manage AI innovation initiatives.
Expert needed
Innovation Consultant, AI Strategy Consultant
From our network
AI Strategy, Adoption & Business Transformation
AI Competitive Advantage
AI investments are not creating differentiation or measurable business value.
Expert needed
Business Strategy Consultant, AI Strategy Consultant
From our network
What is the Business Challenge Matrix?
The Business Challenge Matrix is a practical tool that helps leaders of mid-sized businesses identify the problem behind the symptom and find the right specialist to solve it. Instead of searching for a job title, you search for what is actually happening in your business right now, such as inconsistent sales, cash flow pressure, rising staff turnover, or uncertainty about using AI.
Each entry describes the challenge, the symptoms that usually appear, the type of expert needed, and a link to a verified expert from our network. You can filter by category, including finance, growth, people, operations, technology, AI strategy, governance, and leadership, or simply type a symptom into the search bar.
This page is updated regularly as new experts and business challenges are added. If you cannot find a match, browse the full Experts page or contact us to recommend a specialist for your situation.