The Part of Your Business You’re Probably Avoiding – And Why It Matters More Than You Think with Naomi Hurst

When you think about running a class-based business, you probably picture the part you love. The sessions, the children, the buzz in the room, the moment a parent says “they’ve been talking about this all week.”

What you probably don’t picture is spreadsheets, risk registers, compliance, or checking whether you can actually afford that next piece of kit before you click “buy now.”

And yet, according to Naomi Hurst, an experienced Operational Leader, that’s exactly the part that determines whether your business grows or quietly stalls in the background while you stay very busy wondering why nothing is changing.

Because behind every brilliant class, there is a structure holding it all together.

From Finance to the Engine Room of Business

Naomi’s journey didn’t start in the world of classes or creative businesses. She spent ten years in finance within the NHS, building a deep understanding of how organisations operate at scale, before stepping into operations through what she describes as a “conduit role” between finance and estates.

It was there she saw the reality of what keeps a business running. Not the visible parts, but everything behind the scenes.

“It’s what sits behind everything and makes it tick, makes it work well and makes it slick.”

From managing budgets to dealing with broken systems across dozens of sites, her experience built a clear perspective. Operations isn’t separate from the business. It is the business.

And when she moved into education as a school business manager, that connection became even clearer.

“Whatever you’re doing operationally is going to impact your numbers, and whatever your numbers are is going to impact what you can do operationally.”

In other words, the bit you might be avoiding is the bit quietly running the whole show.

The Truth About “I Can’t Afford It”

This is where things get interesting, and also where a lot of business owners squirm slightly in their seat.

Because when people say “I can’t afford it,” what they often mean is “I don’t actually know if I can afford it.”

And those are two very different situations.

Naomi sees this all the time, especially with small business owners juggling delivery, admin, marketing and everything else in between.

“If you think you can’t afford something but you don’t know your numbers, you might be missing an opportunity.”

That opportunity might be growth, visibility, impact or income. But without clarity, it feels like a risk instead of a decision.

And here’s the uncomfortable bit. Avoiding your numbers doesn’t protect your business. It limits it.

Impact vs Profit – And Why You Need Both

One of the most refreshing parts of Naomi’s perspective is her honesty about balance. Not every class will be your most profitable. Some will exist because they create real impact in your community, and that matters.

But that only works if you understand your numbers well enough to make that choice consciously, rather than accidentally running a business that looks successful but doesn’t sustain itself.

“Some of those classes won’t be the most profitable, but they’ll have the biggest impact.”

When you know your numbers, you get to decide where to give more and where to grow. Without that, everything blurs into one long to-do list and a vague sense that you’re working very hard but not quite moving forward.

What Strong Business Foundations Actually Look Like

This is where Naomi gets practical, and thankfully doesn’t suggest you suddenly become an accountant overnight.

Instead, it’s about building simple habits that give you clarity and control:

• Keeping clear, consistent financial records so nothing is hidden or forgotten
• Understanding what’s coming in, what’s going out and what that means for decisions
• Speaking to a finance professional when needed rather than guessing
• Creating time to review your business, not just deliver inside it
• Using your numbers to guide growth instead of avoiding them

Because here’s the thing, if you can organise 30 parents, manage a class and deliver a great experience, you are already more organised than you think. You just need to turn that same skill back onto your business.

Why Naomi Joined the Class Business Awards

For Naomi, becoming a judge for the Class Business Awards wasn’t about adding another title. It was personal.

After years of working behind the scenes in organisations, she understands how much effort goes into something that, on the surface, might look simple.

“It’s not just delivering a class… there’s a whole host of admin and work that sits behind it.”

She’s also deeply passionate about the role these businesses play in communities, not just for children but for everyone involved.

Connection
Safe spaces
Opportunities to grow

And as a judge, she’s not just looking at what happens in the session. She’s looking beyond it.

She wants to see:

• How businesses create inclusive environments for everyone, not just one group
• The real impact on families and communities behind the scenes
• The thinking, structure and intention that supports delivery
• The “why” behind the business, not just the “what”

“What would the community lose if this business stopped?”

That’s the question she’s bringing into the judging process, and it’s one that shifts the focus from activity to impact very quickly.

Watch the Full Interview

If you’ve ever felt unsure about your numbers, avoided looking at them, or told yourself you’ll “deal with that later,” this conversation is the nudge you didn’t know you needed.

Because growth doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from understanding what’s already happening in your business and making decisions from a place of clarity.

Watch the full interview on the Class Business Academy YouTube channel to hear Naomi break this down in her own words, with practical insight, real examples and a refreshing reminder that knowing your numbers isn’t about restriction. It’s about giving your business room to grow.