It is the time of year where many people will make their New Year’s resolutions.
Whether you have one resolution or a thousand, wouldn’t it be an accomplishment to be able to say to yourself that 2012 was the year you stopped dreaming about accomplishing your resolutions and started to do them?
Many small business owners are looking at how their business performed last year and trying to figure out how they can improve in the New Year.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
― Mark Twain
Here are tips to help you start the New Year right.
Take Action
If you want to save money in the new year, then why don’t you pull out the credit card and bank statements, figure out what monthly expenses can be eliminated, and make the calls to cancel subscriptions, reduce your cell phone bill, and other subscriptions you are no longer using.
Put to use the financial information based on your business operations. Too many small business owners keep financial records just for tax purposes. But accurate and current financial records can be invaluable as you make business decisions.
Set Realistic Timelines
Whether it is a savings goal, business, or personal, we all try to believe that things can change overnight. They can’t, so we need to make sure that we create timelines for our goals that push us to accomplish them but don’t set us up for failure.
Be Customer Focused
Look at how you operate your business and be sure you are truly focusing on your customers. Work to understand who your customers are and what they need. Realize this does not always stay the same and you must be vigilant if you are to keep customers happy and coming back. One way to do this is to seek feedback from customers often and in a variety of ways such as email or paper surveys, social media, or just asking them while they are in your store.
In With The New
Start by cleaning out the old year. Are you surrounded by stacks of papers or old files? Now is the time to clean those up and make room for all the new business opportunities. Write everything down you want to throw out with the old year.
Be grateful for what you HAVE accomplished. Continue to build and learn from what works for you. Create a plan for 2013 with success in mind! As a small business owner or someone who has a dream to start a small business, you may wonder if there are resources to support your efforts. Benetrends offers a comprehensive suite of options for the small business owner. From 401(k)/IRA rollover funding, SBA loans, equpment leasing and securities backed lines of credit to resources like payroll and hr, commercial and personal insurance, legal services and more. Schedule a consultation today and make 2013 the year of the entrepreneur!