All Posts

As companies grow, the barriers to performance aren’t always dramatic—but they are persistent. They show up as missed numbers, fragmented execution, cultural fatigue, and a general sense that something is off, even if the P&L doesn’t yet reflect it. At 4 Square Advisors , we’ve seen these patterns across dozens of companies in manufacturing, packaging, and industrial sectors. Below are four of the most common—and most urgent—challenges facing mid-market leadership teams today

In today’s complex manufacturing and industrial landscape, the most successful CEOs are those who know where to focus. The 80/20 principle—a time-tested business lens—offers a powerful way to streamline operations, increase profitability, and regain clarity in decision-making. What Is 80/20 Strategic Focus? The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) reveals a consistent truth in business: a minority of inputs drive the majority of results. In most companies: 80% of revenue comes from

Ask any CEO to describe their company’s vision, and you’ll likely hear a confident answer—growth targets, market expansion, innovation priorities. But walk the halls of that same company, and the story can look very different. Teams are stretched thin. Priorities shift week to week. Projects drag on. Execution feels fragmented. Strategy may exist—but alignment does not. This isn’t a failure of ambition. It’s a breakdown in translation. A strategic vision is only as effective

Manufacturing leaders have long anticipated a workforce challenge. But what was once a slow-moving concern has become an urgent threat. Across the U.S., skilled trades—machinists, tool-and-die makers, automation technicians, industrial maintenance pros—are aging out. And not enough talent is stepping in to take their place. This isn’t a theoretical risk. It’s a daily operational constraint. Projects stall because there aren’t enough qualified hands to run or maintain equipmen

Every organization claims to value accountability. But in practice, many companies struggle to define it—let alone build it into their daily operations. What starts as a cultural blind spot becomes a structural issue. Expectations blur. Ownership weakens. And performance plateaus. The accountability gap is a serious impediment to growth You can feel it in the cadence of the business. Deadlines slip quietly. Projects stall without consequence. Meetings become more about report

In many mid-sized and growing companies, operations evolve organically—shaped by people, workarounds, and urgency. What begins as nimble becomes patchwork. At some point, growth outpaces structure. Demand outpaces visibility. And execution breaks under the weight of complexity. When that tipping point arrives, it rarely announces itself with a single failure. Instead, it shows up in persistent friction: missed shipments, late-stage scrambling, inflated inventory, unhappy cust