My guild ran into this wall for HSTR. We were not ready and were bleeding members who were ready. We couldn't get recruits who were ready, because why would they join us when they could join a guild that was already completing it.
The reality of this game is that in order to stay competitive you must be willing to move guilds. Why not look for a merger with another guild, both guilds can cut their less active members and keep their core membership together. It's what we had to do and have kept our core members and made new friends. At some point it may happen again. It's just how it goes.
