A New Year! As a business owner, how many times have you thought to yourself “self, this New Year we’re going to team up and put in place procedures and practices that are going to make this business BOOM”?
It’s something that we have all thought about, and more often than not, started but never finished. The start of each calendar year is time for reflection on what worked, and what didn’t in the business last year, and what you can implement to bring about change for the better.
Start by expelling any toxicity from your business. Stop partnerships with unreliable suppliers who never deliver what they’ve promised. Whether it be physical goods or just that they never show up on time. This disrupts your workflow, and there are other suppliers out there that appreciate your patronage and will do their best to make sure you can work together seamlessly.
On that note, don’t be afraid to end working relationship with equally toxic clients. The saying “all business is good business” isn’t necessarily true. While your clients are definitely the life blood of your business. However, hose toxic clients who expect so much in return for bare minimum are simply not worth it. Whether they’re giving you the run around, or just not paying your bills, they give you more stress than you need. Your time would be better spent helping the clients who value and appreciate you, your business and your time!
While you’re in the process of cleansing the outside sources of toxicity in your business, don’t overlook the processes and systems that are eating up your time from the inside. Take some time to sit and review your current processes, the whole time thinking, “how can I do this better?” Do research into some apps that can help streamline these processes or even eliminate them altogether, it’s amazing what technology can do!
Once you’ve detoxified your business, it’s time to look at the positive! Take time to enhance your customer relationships and show them just how much you appreciate them! Whether by sending out a thank you email, or going all out, it’s a good way to remind your clients that no matter how long they’ve been with you, they’re still in the forefront of your mind.
Budgets and cash flows are so important to managing a successful business. Make sure you plan for everything going into the New Year to avoid all those sneaky surprises. Don’t be afraid to ask for help either!
Speaking of plans, do you have a business plan? If you do, that’s great! Make sure you review it regularly to keep your business on track. Don’t forget to update it regularly as your business grows and develops and your goals change. If you don’t have a business plan, there’s so many resources out there to help you build one. Check out the templates here if you’re not sure where to start!
It’s also good to have you and your team set some goals for the new year. Whether personal or business related, action steps to achieve them! If you need help check out our blog about achieving your New Year’s resolutions.
