Internal comms for small businesses who don’t have time

(If you’re growing fast and internal comms keeps slipping down the list, this is for you.)

If you’re running a small but growing business, chances are internal communication is something you care about, but rarely feel you have time to do properly, or haven’t managed to even consider yet.

You’re hiring, you’re growing, you’re firefighting and you’re selling. You’re keeping customers happy and cash flowing. Somewhere in the middle of all that, you’re also expected to keep everyone aligned, informed, motivated and moving in the same direction. And that’s a big ask when you’re doing everything else.

The reality for most scaling founders is that internal comms is really squeezed (or non-existent). It lives in hurried Teams messages, half-formed updates in meetings, and things you meant to explain properly but never quite got round to. Does this sound familiar? That’s okay! You don’t need a big internal comms strategy, you just need something that works in real life.

The myth: internal comms needs lots of time

Many founders assume internal communication means:

• long all-hands meetings

• polished decks

• newsletters no one reads

• carefully crafted messages every time something happens or changes.

But good internal comms in a small business is actually about clarity (not volume or polish), and thankfully clarity is something we find often saves time rather than costing it. When people understand what’s going on, and why, they make better decisions on your behalf. They’re more engaged, they have fewer questions to ask and they pull in the same direction without needing constant input from you.

Internal comms can be a real leverage tool.

Where things usually go wrong

In growing businesses, communication problems rarely come from a lack of effort. People are still full of motivation and energy, excited for what’s to come and the promise of a bright future. The problems come when growth outpaces explanation.

What once worked informally - sitting near each other, overhearing conversations, quick check-ins - stops working as the team grows, and suddenly:

• decisions feel murky

• priorities are fuzzy

• people fill gaps with assumptions

• founders feel like they’re repeating themselves constantly.

This is the moment when founders might think, “We need better comms” - and then immediately park the idea because it sounds like another job.

What actually matters (and what doesn’t)

You need to communicate the few things that really matter, consistently.

For most scaling businesses, that’s:

• what we’re focusing on right now

• what success looks like this quarter

• what’s changed, and why

• what people don’t need to worry about.

When those things are clear, everything else feels clear.

The mistake many founders make is assuming everyone sees the business the way they do. You’re close to the numbers, the customers, the risks, but your team may not be — and this is something we say often to our audience: you need to meet them where they are.

And then internal comms is how you share enough of that context so people can operate with confidence.

Simple beats perfect

The best internal comms in small businesses is usually:

• short

• regular

• human

What this looks like in practice:
A brief weekly update.
A monthly “here’s what’s on my mind” note.
A clear explanation when priorities shift.

It doesn’t need branding and it definitely shouldn’t have jargon, and it doesn’t even need to be beautifully written. But it does need honesty and consistency (see above: short, regular, human).

People don’t expect founders to have all the answers, but we’ve learnt that employees really appreciate knowing what you’re thinking, what you’re worried about and what you’re excited by. Bring people along on the journey with you, don’t leave them behind. 

Internal comms supports growth 

When internal comms is working well:

• teams move faster with less supervision

• middle managers make better calls

• change is met with less resistance

• founders spend less time clarifying and correcting

It becomes part of how the business runs, and crucially, it scales with you. What starts as a simple rhythm can evolve as the organisation grows, without needing to be torn up and replaced.

Start where you are

If you’re a scaling founder with no time, the goal is to make internal comms light, clear and intentional. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

If you’d like a hand with this, we’d love to help - get in touch for a chat.