Software processes support the work of software development and software process improvement (SPI) is concerned with improving the operation of the software process. One of the primary reasons for conducting SPI is to increase the success of a software development company [1], [2]. However, a lack of evidence of the benefits of SPI is reported as a de-motivator for project/senior managers [3]. Therefore, the case for SPI would benefit from evidence of the positive impact of SPI on business success. This paper proposes a new approach that utilises the Holistic Scorecard (HSC) [4] to systematically examine business success in software development companies. Furthermore, we relate the experience of applying this new approach to software small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).