inside the office

Everything has to get done – but do you have to do it?

Small business owners wear many hats, and sometimes it’s hard to remember to take one or two of them off. Think of your many job descriptions, a determine which ones you really like doing. Out of the remainder, determine which you can outsource to a reliable professional. How about a virtual professional? By delegating some of the chores of running a business, you get to actually do what you’re good at and what you like doing. After all, isn’t that why you started your business in the first place?

Make a date – with your business!

Ask any veteran business owner and they will tell you that the key to being successful is planning. Creating a business plan as part of your start-up can help you determine how much initial capital you’ll need, who your competition is, and how to position yourself for the best exposure. Your business plan continues to be important after you’re up and running – maybe even more so. Make a date with yourself once, twice, even four times a year, to review your business plan. Evaluate what strategies worked and which didn’t, review your current operating expenses, and draft a budget based on upcoming expenditures and opportunities.

“State of the Business” address

The president does it once a year, why shouldn’t you? Review your contracts with vendors and suppliers. Do they still meet your needs? Can you renegotiate for a better rate or larger quantities? Then take a look at your customer arrangements. If you have contracts, review them and determine if they need to be updated to include new policies. Do you need to raise prices to compensate for higher expenses? Now is also a good time to inform your customers of these changes and when they will take effect.

Enrich your mind

Is there a new skill that you’ve been wanting to learn, but don’t have time for a formal class? The opportunities to learn online abound – and many are free. Search for free classes to complement your current business skills, such as bookkeeping or marketing. Or maybe just something for fun. Plus, many cities and towns have Adult Education classes for all sorts of things like cooking, pottery and dancing, for free or nominal charges.

Make a date – with yourself!

Small business owners, especially those that work from home, often find it hard to separate their business and personal lives. If you find yourself falling into this routine, do something about it. Once a week, put time on your calendar to not work. Take time off to get your nails done, have coffee with a friend, or just sit and read a book. If you don’t take time for yourself, you just may end up finding yourself burnt out and your work performance could pay the price.

No matter what language is your native (or favorite), please accept my Christmas greetings.
Gesëende Kersfees ~ Een Plesierige Kerfees ~ Rehus-Beal-Ledeats ~ Gezur Krislinjden ~ Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah ~ Feliz Navidad ~ Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand ~ Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun ~ Selamat Hari Natal ~ Zorionak eta Urte Berri On! ~ Shuvo Naba Barsha ~ Vesele Vanoce ~ Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo ~ Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat ~ Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo ~ Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou! ~ Feliz Navidad ~ Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun ~ Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan ~ Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito ~ Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo ~ Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth ~ Pace e salute ~ Rot Yikji Dol La Roo ~ Mitho Makosi Kesikansi ~ Sretan Bozic ~ Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok ~ Glædelig Jul ~ Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak ~ Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast ~ Merry Christmas ~ Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo! ~ Gajan Kristnaskon ~ Ruumsaid juulup|hi ~ Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar! ~ Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad ~ Hyvaa joulua ~ Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar ~ Joyeux Noel ~ Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier! ~ Bo Nada ~ Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr! ~ Froehliche Weihnachten ~ Kala Christouyenna! ~ Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara! ~ Mele Kalikimaka ~ Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova ~ Shub Naya Baras ~ Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara! ~ Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou! ~ Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket ~ Gledileg Jol ~ Selamat Hari Natal ~ Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah ~ Nollaig Shona Dhuit or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat ~ Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay. ~ Buone Feste Natalizie ~ Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto ~ Mithag Crithagsigathmithags ~ Sung Tan Chuk Ha ~ Natale hilare et Annum Faustum! ~ Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu! ~ Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto ~ Priecigus Ziemassvetkus ~ Linksmu Kaledu ~ Heughliche Winachten un ‘n moi Nijaar ~ Sreken Bozhik ~ IL-Milied It-tajjeb ~ Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa ~ Meri Kirihimete ~ Shub Naya Varsh ~ Merry Keshmish ~ God Jul or Gledelig Jul ~ Pulit nadal e bona annado ~ Bon Pasco ~ Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu ~ En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr! ~ Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo ~ Maligayan Pasko! ~ Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie ~ Feliz Natal ~ Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha ~ Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua ~ Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn ~ Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn! ~ Sarbatori vesele ~ Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom ~ Buorrit Juovllat ~ La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou ~ Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou ~ Hristos se rodi ~ Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce ~ Buorrit Juovllat ~ La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou ~ Nollaig chridheil huibh ~ Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina ~ Hristos se rodi. ~ Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa ~ Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok ~ Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto ~ Feliz Navidad ~ God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År ~ Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon ~ Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal ~ (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech! ~ Sawadee Pee Mai ~ Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun ~ Srozhdestvom Kristovym ~ Naya Saal Mubarak Ho ~ Chung Mung Giang Sinh ~ Nadolig Llawen ~ Cestitamo Bozic ~ E ku odun, e ku iye’dun!

I recently had a discussion with the folks in my business group, BizBuilderCT, about goal setting and using vision boards. It occurs to me, though, that while setting goals is a good thing, both personally and professionally, without a clear plan on how to get there, goals can become nothing more than a distraction.
Let me clarify. Setting and having goals is great, and is absolutely key to both personal and professional growth. But if you don’t then outline the steps you need to take to get there, those goals just become another picture on the wall, and another stressor on the “someday-I-will” to-do list. You want to make $1.000,000 next year? Great! What will it take for you to get there? Working more hours, raising prices, diversifying your products or services? How about all of the above? Any one person can only work so many hours in a day, though. Especially if you still have marketing, accounting, family and cleaning duties to be responsible for. So maybe you need to hire employees or sub-contractors. Great! What’s the next step?
After you set your goals, set your plan. Your plan may tell you that you need to adjust your goal some, or maybe you just need to tweak the plan. Focus on the big picture, but be sure to take time to focus on the little pictures that make up the big picture.