This is a special New Year because not only is it the start of a new year but a new decade. Now is the ideal time to prepare your business for the coming year. One key to success is through organization, and that’s with a capital ‘O’. Creating a clear structure for priorities, goals, and time division will streamline your entire process. This is the perfect time to clean out the cobwebs and plan how to get the energy to achieve your goals. Here are a few suggestions to help you get your new year started off on the right foot:
Make a Plan
Create a storyboard and post it on your wall as a reminder throughout the year. Update your business plan and write down year-end goals. The point is to write it down and post it where you see it often. This will give you a road map of where you want to take the year and decade. There are surveys from businesses showing that businesses who have a written plan, even if the plan isn’t strictly followed, are far more likely to succeed, so try writing down your goals.
Clean House
Take a little time in the first week of the year to clean out the shelves, organize your paperwork and update your system. Small businesses and entrepreneurs tend to evolve year to year, so remember to update your materials and practices to stay current with your industry throughout the year. What was a rare occurrence last year may become routine this year, so take a look at how needs shift. Read research, attend conferences or trade shows, and stay current to help your business to grow.
Delegate for success
There is only so much time in the day, and only so much you can get done (you are human after all). Take a hard look at your schedule and regular duties to see if there are any tasks you could delegate to a partner or team member. Could delegating the time you spend on small day to day tasks free you up for higher impact activities? Focus on the things only you can do and delegate the others if you can. Calling in assistance with the many tasks every business owner and entrepreneur must accomplish is simply good management of your business and yourself. Seeking professional advice can propel you to a new level, so don’t be afraid to ask for it. West Business Development Center offers free business advising, so sign up for your first counseling session here.
Self-care for good business
You set the tone for the atmosphere of your organization; clients, employees and website designers are all going to take their cue from you. Take care of yourself and consciously build the environment you want that supports not only the business but you too. Important priorities for self-care are getting enough sleep, proper diet, and regular exercise. Schedule time for these activities just as you would for a business meeting. Proper nutrition affects your productivity, ability to stay focused, and support memory. Here is a list of 27 superfoods you can start eating right now to up your energy levels. It might seem difficult to take the time while running a business, but it is more important than you might think. Here is a recent study that shows operating on too little sleep is equivalent to operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Regular movement and exercise is not just important for healthcare, it’s for your business’s welfare. This could be a 20-minute walk after your lunch, a yoga class or you could join a gym and go for it! The point is to move regularly in order to keep your business moving.
From the team at West Business Development Center, we wish you all a Happy New Year!
Register for January Workshops:
Emergency Preparation For Your Business – Fort Bragg
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Instructor: Rachel Clark
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January 7th, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Emergency Preparation For Your Business – Ukiah
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Instructor: Rachel Clark
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January 8th, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Tax Prep For Businesses and Contractors – Ukiah
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Instructor: Jerry Murphy
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January 27th, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Tax Prep For Businesses and Contractors – Fort Bragg
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Instructor: Jerry Murphy
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January 30th, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Stay tuned to this page where all of West BDC’s Workshop and Webinar Series descriptions, dates, and links to register are posted. Sign up for our newsletter here so you don’t miss a thing!
Free Business Advising at West Business Development Center
If you are a business of one or a company of 100 employees, at any stage from startup to established, WestBDC offers free business advising — on whatever topic you might be stuck on. If it’s finding the right loan to expand, staffing your business with the right people or even just wading through new minimum wage requirements, we have experts ready to help you right now.
Click here to sign up for free advising. We’ll schedule a free, thirty-minute call and then we’ll assign you the free expert advisor you need.
See how these successful businesses set up, grew and expanded with West Business Development Center Free Advising services:
Frosted: Cupcakes & Goodies, Fort Bragg
Peace and Plenty Farms, Kelseyville
Smithwood Mercantile, Mendocino
To see more Client success stories check out our Client Stories or our YouTube channel.
Are you a woman-owned business?
Please join us for our monthly networking events where you can meet other women entrepreneurs and share best practices, knowledge and make friends.
If you are a women-owned business and are interested in hosting Women’s Mendopreneurs Empowerment Night we would love to hear from you! Send us an email at events@westcenter.org
