How to stop being the bottleneck: A founder’s guide
In every growth-stage IT consultancy or MSP, there comes a moment when the founder realises they’ve become the bottleneck.
At £1m to £8m turnover and 10 to 50 staff, the business is no longer “scrappy startup”, but neither is it yet a fully systemised scale-up. And in this in-between zone, the Managing Director is often:
The rainmaker → still driving most of the sales and key client relationships.
The firefighter → parachuting into delivery when projects wobble.
The finance overseer → signing off every invoice, chasing debtors, worrying about payroll.
Sound familiar?
Why the Founder Bottleneck Happens
This trap isn’t about a lack of effort, it’s about success. You’ve grown the business by being across everything. But the very skills that got you here now hold you back.
Key drivers of the bottleneck include:
Over-reliance on founder-led sales (no repeatable go-to-market engine).
Lack of middle management (team relies on you for all decisions).
Finance run on gut feel (no dashboards, no delegation, no clarity).
The result? Growth slows, margins thin, and you burn out.
The Shift: From Doer to Architect
Breaking free from the bottleneck doesn’t happen by working harder, it happens by working differently. The key is making a conscious shift from doing everything to designing the system that runs everything. Here’s how:
1. Delegate Sales Without Losing Control
For most MSPs and consultancies at £1m to £8m turnover, the founder is still the main salesperson. That works at the start, clients buy into you. But to scale, you need a sales process that others can execute.
Build a repeatable go-to-market playbook: define target markets, packages, pricing, and messaging.
Bring in a business development manager or account manager who can nurture prospects and upsell existing clients.
Position yourself as the closer for strategic opportunities, not the chaser of every lead.
Architect’s mindset: “I design the system that produces revenue, I don’t chase it personally.”
2. Empower Managers Instead of Micromanaging
At 10 to 50 staff, your team can’t all report to you. If every client issue or internal dispute ends up on your desk, you’ll never escape firefighting mode.
Identify your A-players and promote them into delivery leadership roles.
Define clear roles and decision rights so your managers know what they can own.
Hold regular check-ins, but resist the temptation to “dive in” unless it’s critical.
Architect’s mindset: “I build managers who manage the work, instead of managing the work myself.”
3. Appoint a Financial Co-Pilot
Most founders don’t love finance but they can’t ignore it either. That’s why so many end up personally checking invoices, fretting over cashflow, and trying to “wing it” with spreadsheets.
Put in place real-time dashboards that show profit by contract, monthly cashflow, and upcoming commitments.
Work with a financial partner who translates numbers into insights and action, not just compliance.
Focus your attention on strategic financial choices, pricing, investment, acquisitions, instead of chasing debtors or reconciling accounts.
Architect’s mindset: “I use finance as a steering wheel, not a rear-view mirror.”
4. Systemise What You Do Best
Founders are often the best rainmaker, consultant, or strategist in the business but if that knowledge only lives in your head, growth stalls.
Document your approach to client engagement, pricing, and delivery so others can replicate it.
Use tech and automation wherever possible, from ticketing systems to reporting.
Treat your processes as assets: the more repeatable they are, the more valuable your business becomes.
Architect’s mindset: “I turn my personal magic into a repeatable playbook that others can run.”
5. Step Back to See Forward
The hardest part is letting go. But stepping back is what gives you the headspace to focus on:
Vision & strategy → Where should we go next?
Culture & leadership → Who do we want to be as a team?
Growth & valuation → How do we create a business that’s attractive to acquirers or investors?
Architect’s mindset: “I build the structure that allows the business to grow beyond me.”
What This Means for Founders
Scaling an IT consultancy or MSP is about moving from being the engine to building the engine room.
That means:
Systems instead of spreadsheets.
Managers instead of micromanagement.
A financial co-pilot instead of gut feel.
That’s how you free yourself from the bottleneck and set your business up for sustainable, profitable growth.
The payoff? A business that grows without you working 80-hour weeks, and one that’s worth far more when it comes time to exit.
At Shadwell Associates, we partner with IT consultancy and MSP founders as their financial co-pilot, helping them escape the bottleneck and scale profitably, without losing control.