The Action Stage of Business: What It Means to Lead Like a Champion

In this stage of your business growth journey, you move from reacting to problems to leading with clarity, strategy, and confidence.

If you’re a business owner, you probably know what it feels like to constantly react.

Every week brings a new problem. Cash flow, hiring, pricing, surprise taxes…it all lands on your plate. You’re making decisions on the fly, and even though you’ve cleaned up the financials and built solid systems, you still feel like you’re scrambling.

That’s where the Action stage of the One Step Better client journey comes in. It’s the point in your journey when you stop reacting to what’s happening and start leading with strategic clarity. 

▶ And no one embodies that mindset better than Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn.

Just one week after rupturing her ACL, Vonn got back on the mountain and finished an Olympic downhill training run. When most would’ve walked away, Vonn said: "I know there's still a chance, and as long as there's a chance, I will try."

In this article, you’ll learn what the Action stage looks like, how to know if you’re in it, and what it takes to lead like a champion, even when the conditions aren’t perfect.

What It Really Means to Lead, Not Just Manage

When faced with her injury, Lindsey Vonn didn't just manage the problem. She said, "I'm not crying. My head is high, I'm standing tall and I'm going to do my best." 

▶ She wasn't ignoring the setback. She was strategically adapting her approach while keeping her ultimate goal in sight.

That's the difference between management and leadership.

Management is about reacting to what's in front of you:

• Paying bills

• Filing taxes

• Keeping the lights on

• Responding to problems as they arise

Leadership is about making strategic decisions even when circumstances aren't ideal. It means using reliable information combined with your vision to create the future you want, not just survive the present. 

It takes resilience, adaptability, and the intention to move forward regardless of setbacks.

In the Action stage, you stop asking "How do I fix this?" and start asking "What does this make possible?"

This is the shift that changes everything, and it’s what defines your move into true leadership.

From Reactive Manager to Strategic Leader: The Action Stage Shift

The transition into the Action stage is about thinking and doing things differently. It’s the moment you stop asking, “How do I fix this now?” and start asking, “How do I build the business I want long-term?” 

Reactive Mode: Where Most Businesses Start

• Checking your bank balance before making big decisions instead of using cash flow projections

• Scrambling to cover unexpected expenses instead of planning for seasonal swings

• Hiring and firing based on current workload instead of a workforce strategy

• Setting prices based on competitors instead of understanding your true margins and value

• Solving problems as they arise instead of preventing them with systems

Action Stage Leadership

• Making decisions using real-time financial data that highlights trends and opportunities

• Budgeting proactively for big expenses and fluctuations

• Hiring based on long-term goals and profitability metrics

• Pricing based on value, positioning, and margins

• Building systems that anticipate issues and solve them before they escalate

This mindset shift is what allows business owners to stop surviving and start leading.

▶ Like Vonn said: "I know what my chances were before the crash, and I know my chances aren't the same as it stands today, but I know there's still a chance." 

That’s what Action-stage leadership looks like. They understand that circumstances change, but they adapt their strategy rather than abandon their vision.

What It Feels Like to Lead Your Business with Confidence

Timeline: Around Day 365 (1 Year into your journey)

The emotional shift is unmistakable. You feel empowered instead of overwhelmed. Problems become puzzles to solve, not crises to survive. 

• You feel proactive, not reactive.

• You’re planning weeks or months ahead, not scrambling day-to-day.

• You’ve got clarity, not chaos.

You're using data to guide pricing, hiring, and profitability decisions. And you trust the numbers behind those choices.

▶ Like Vonn declaring "I will make it to the starting gate" despite her injury, you're focused on execution rather than excuses. 

You have a clear vision of where you're going, and you're determined to get there regardless of obstacles.

What Changes Operationally in the Action Stage

By the one-year mark, you're feeling more confident and operating at a fundamentally different level. 

You’re no longer guessing. You’re leading with data, strategy, and intention.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

• Your financial data drives real business decisions. Instead of just reviewing reports, you're using them to evaluate opportunities, plan investments, and optimize operations.

• Your tax savings strategies are active and working. You're not just setting money aside. You're implementing specific strategies that reduce your liability while supporting your business goals.

• Your profit improvement plans have been implemented and are showing results. You can see the direct impact of changes you've made to pricing, expenses, and operations.

• You're no longer surprised at tax time. You’ve planned ahead and minimized surprises.

• Cash flow is predictable and managed. You know where money is coming from, where it's going, and how to optimize both.

• Your systems fit your business. You’re using tools that are scalable and strategic.

You’re making decisions based on reliable data instead of guessing or hoping for the best.

How Strategic Leaders Think Differently

One of the clearest signs that you’ve entered the Action stage? The questions you ask start to change.

Reactive leaders ask:

• "What went wrong?"

• “How do I fix this right now?”

• “Why didn’t I see this coming?”

But Action-stage leaders ask forward-looking, strategic questions like these:

Growth Strategy Questions

• What would it take to double our revenue in the next three years?

• Should I open a second location or expand services to reach new markets?

• Is it time to hire key personnel who can take the business to the next level?

Profitability Questions

• Which parts of the business are most profitable, and how do we do more of that?

• Where can we improve margins without sacrificing quality or customer satisfaction?

• How can we smooth out cash flow to support long-term strategic planning?

Strategic Investment Questions

• What technology would improve efficiency or customer/client experience?

• Should I acquire a competitor or complementary business?

• How should I structure this major purchase to optimize tax benefits?

These are the questions that build the future.

And when you’re asking them with data, vision, and the right support, you’re leading at a whole new level.

How Action-Stage Leaders Handle Setbacks

Being in the Action stage doesn't mean everything goes smoothly. It means you handle challenges differently.

▶ Facing her devastating injury before the Olympics, Vonn didn’t walk away. She said, "This would be the best comeback I've done so far. Definitely the most dramatic." 

Again, she wasn't ignoring the problem. She adapted her strategy, but she never abandoned her vision.

That’s exactly how Action-stage business owners approach setbacks.

Economic shifts, supply chain issues, employee turnover, and unexpected expenses. You can’t avoid these entirely, but you can decide how you respond.

Action stage leaders handle these differently:

• They adjust strategy without losing sight of long-term goals.

• They use reliable data to make informed, confident decisions.

• They communicate clearly and transparently with their team.

• They see setbacks as opportunities to strengthen systems and increase resilience.

In short, they lead like champions, especially when the conditions aren’t ideal.

Why You Need a Strategic Support Team in the Action Stage

▶ Even champions don’t go it alone. Lindsey Vonn’s comeback and push-through aren’t just about grit. It’s made possible by a team of coaches, doctors, and advisors who help her stay focused and execute with confidence.

The same is true in your business.

At the Action stage, your relationship with your accounting team shifts. It’s no longer about just getting reports. You’re getting guidance and working together strategically.

Here’s what that looks like:

• Monthly meetings become strategic planning sessions, not just status updates and reviews.

• You get proactive advice on major decisions before they happen.

• You have regular check-ins on key initiatives, like profit improvement and cash optimization.

• You feel supported in anticipating issues, not just reacting to them.

In the Action stage, your support team is delivering information and helping you lead.

And just like Vonn’s team, when everyone’s aligned, you’re equipped to handle challenges and stay on track toward your goals.

Getting to the Next Level: From Action to Thriving

Reaching the Action stage is a major milestone.

You’re no longer reacting to chaos. Instead, you’re leading with clarity and control. You’ve built the systems, gained the confidence, and developed the strategic habits that define real leadership.

But Action isn’t the final destination.

Next comes Thriving, where everything aligns and your business moves with power and purpose.

This is where you stop asking “What’s next?” and start seeing your business as a platform for long-term strategy, freedom, and value.

But you can’t get to Thriving without mastering Action.

Why? Because Thriving depends on the foundation you’ve built:

• Reliable financial systems

• Clean reporting

• Proactive tax planning

• Defined processes

• Strong leadership habits

In the Thriving stage, all four swim lanes—Financial Clarity, Tax Confidence, Profit and Growth, and Systems—are fully aligned.

You're running a better business, but more importantly, you're running the business you always envisioned.

Lead Your Business Like a Champion

You didn’t get to the Action stage by accident.

You cleaned up the chaos, built reliable systems, and learned to trust your numbers. And now, you’re leading, not just managing.

That’s what Action-stage leadership looks like.

But champions don’t stop at strong starts. They finish well. 

They lead through uncertainty, adapt, and never let obstacles define their outcome.

▶ Lindsey Vonn put it perfectly, "I am not letting this slip through my fingers." 

That’s the mindset of Action-stage leaders. And if you’re here, you’re ready for more.

If you’re still working to reach the Action stage, learn about the six stages every business goes through on the journey to thriving.

At Patrick Accounting, we help business owners turn Action into momentum and momentum into growth. We don’t just report the numbers. We help you lead with them.

Let’s have a conversation about what strategic leadership could look like for your business and how to keep moving forward.

▶ Because champions aren’t defined by perfect conditions.
They’re defined by how they lead when everything’s on the line.