Position Yourself for Success in the New Year

A new year is before us, and with it, a world of new opportunities. It’s exciting, but it can also be a bit intimidating – after all, there are a lot of choices to consider. How do you choose the options that will position you for success in the year to come?

This is where your business plan comes in. There are parts of it that you will refine and change throughout the year, but some parts of it provide the foundation that will guide you through making these choices. (By the way, if you need to create a business plan, I’ve created a free training to help you develop yours in just an afternoon!)

However, there are people and other resources that can help you position yourself well. Taking advantage of them will let you hit the ground running in January!

Your Business Plan and Core Values

When I first meet with a new coaching client, one of the first things I do is help them develop a Visual Business Plan. We talk about their current situation and growth trends, their team, and their goals – and then we strategize a plan to reach those goals (and even surpass them).

However, I also strongly recommend every business owner also have a written business plan. This plan details out everything from your Core Values to your growth strategy. This document will be refined as you grow (I refine mine quarterly), but your Core Values and primary goals will guide you through making choices throughout the year.

As opportunities come your way, ask yourself: does this align with who we are as a company? Does it support my goals and company culture? If the answers are yes, the opportunity is worth looking into – and if either of the answers are no, you’ll know it’s not the right path to follow (at least right now).

This brings a lot of clarity and saves a lot of time and money. It also brings you far closer to your goals!

Bring in an Objective Voice

As helpful as your business plan is, sometimes you’re just too close to your business to know whether an opportunity is right to say “yes” to. This is when having someone who can give an objective opinion is extremely helpful.

Your Admin, COO, or other members of your leadership team can be a huge help. These people are invested in your success and they see aspects of your business that you might not engage with on a regular basis.

This is something I do on a regular basis. I still hold the final choice on whether to move forward with something, but I value the advice and insights of my leadership team.

However, there are also times when you need the insight of someone who’s outside your business, but committed to your success – someone who has been through the choices you’re facing. This is where a specialized coach can be your best resource.

Whether you’re looking for help with overall business strategy, marketing, management, sales, or client care, a strong coach can provide the insight and guidance you’re looking for. They’ll ask the focused questions necessary to help you make the strongest decision and provide you with the action steps and accountability to crush your goals!

Build Those Systems!

I talk about systems a lot, but that’s because they’re vital to your success.

The best planning and advice can’t make up for a lack of systems – but strong systems will provide the base for your action plan.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you should wait to plan or get insight until your systems are built, but it does mean that you should be intentional about putting them in place. (We can help!)

The good news is, your systems don’t have to be perfect from the start. Done is better than perfect! Documenting your current systems will help your team consistently implement them, and as you grow, your team can help you refine them.

Your team can even help you write them in the first place! As they work on a process, they can create a Loom video, a checklist or example, an SOP, or something else to document the procedures; these can then be used to create your Policies and Procedures.

You and your team don’t have to create these alone, however – we have resources and coaches that can save you dozens of hours (and the payroll that goes with them). If you’re interested, just let us know!