How to Prioritise Investment Within Your Company - Fleximize

How to Prioritise Investment Within Your Company

It can be difficult to know which parts of your SME to invest in first when looking into business growth. Lewis Miller of Nelson Frank shares his expertise on how to prioritise company investments.

By Lewis Miller

Growing a business takes vision, discipline, and – perhaps most importantly – smart investment. But with finite resources and countless opportunities, deciding where to put your money first can be overwhelming. Whether you're looking to boost efficiency, improve customer experience, or prepare for expansion, it all starts with setting the right priorities.

Here’s how to identify the key areas that deserve your investment, and how to make confident, ROI-driven decisions along the way.

1. Staff and talent development

Hire smart. Train better. Retain top talent.

Your people are your greatest asset. Investing in staff doesn't just mean growing your team – it means upskilling, motivating, and aligning them with your long-term goals.

2. Technology and automation

Invest in tools that scale with your business.

Tech upgrades might feel expensive, but inefficient systems cost you more in the long run. Prioritising the right solutions can streamline operations, reduce errors, and free up your team for higher-value tasks.

3. Marketing and customer acquisition

You can't sell to people who don’t know you exist.

Marketing is often underfunded in SMEs, but investing in the right channels can create demand, drive traffic, and boost your pipeline.

If you’ve got great products but slow sales, your first investment shouldn’t be in stock – it should be in marketing.

4. Infrastructure and facilities

Make sure your space supports your scale.

Physical operations might not be glamorous, but they’re crucial to efficiency and growth – especially for product-based or service-heavy businesses.

Don’t underestimate the impact of a productive, well-equipped working environment.

5. Research and development (R&D)

Stay ahead of competitors with innovation.

To grow, you need to evolve. R&D helps you develop new offerings, improve existing ones, and respond to shifting customer needs.

Don’t just spend – benchmark and monitor

Whatever you invest in, always track performance. Set clear KPIs and review them regularly to ensure your money is driving results. Watch for:

Your investment strategy should be flexible but focused. Get it right, and you’ll accelerate growth, reduce waste, and build a business that’s fit for the future.

About the Author

Lewis Miller is Chief Financial Officer of niche technology recruitment firm Nelson Frank. He has over two decades’ worth of experience in a mixture of financial and operational leadership roles in Big 4, UK PLC and Private Equity environments.