Earlier this week I discussed on my “Empower Me” session how most people wait until January 1 to evaluate their life. Then they determine that they want to make major changes to their life. Usually this ends up with failed goals and the same results they got the previous year. Equaling in frustration. I have found that if you operate your life this way it also means that you are operating your business the same way. Waiting until the last minute to make adjustments and rushing to make decisions that will set the tone for your business for that year equals failure.

Well it’s time to stop operating at an insanity approach. That means doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result. I’m here to tell you that isn’t possible. Let’s check out some ways you can start to prepare your business to have an amazing prosperous 2012. All by being proactive instead of being reactive.

Assess your financial standing. When speaking with business owners and the clients I have worked with.
Many couldn’t tell you where they stood for the month pertaining to how much they brought in, how much it cost to operate their business on a daily basis or how much financial growth they experienced over the year. You need to have tools in place in order to be an assistant to you. A great resource available is http://findaccountingsoftware.com/ this will allow you to search for other accounting software beside QuickBooks. If you aren’t treating your money as a priority it will not be a priority to you. Meaning you will not see the financial benefits of your business. I also suggest that you seek counsel from a trusted Bookkeeper.

Revisit your Business Plan. That’s right blow the dust off that business plan that you created when you first started your business. If you have no idea of where you are going then how will you get there?
Your business plan should be a guide for where your business is heading in the next 6 months or a year.
Readjust the goals you had from this year and set new ones. I suggest for new business owners looking at your business plan once a month so it stays fresh in your mind and for those veterans twice a year.

Celebrate Your Success. Many business owners become so driven by the big picture that they forget to celebrate the small and or large successes of their business. This can lead to burn out or even resenting that they even started a business. Take the time to review your year and write down all the goals you did meet. Once you have written down all of your successes place them somewhere you will be able to see them for the next six months. After that do something nice for yourself. It doesn’t matter if
it’s something large or small but it’s a way to keep you motivated and we know motivation keeps us moving!

Educate Yourself. As a business owner you should be a lifelong learner. If you aren’t learning then you
aren’t growing and if you aren’t growing that means neither is your business. Get your calendar out and plan to attend a conference, workshop or get with a mentor. This will align your business for continued success. You must keep up with the learning curve in your area of expertise. What was new and hot last month is now considered outdated. Are you running your business on outdated information?

Check You. How are you managing your everyday operations? How are you managing yourself? We usually only think of our business but not the person who runs it all. Meaning YOU! First, look at what worked overall in your business operations and what didn’t. Make adjustments now! Come up with a plan of action of how you will run you business. If it didn’t work last year it probably won’t work this coming year. Next, manage YOU better. Don’t be afraid to delegate duties to your team. You have prepared them now it’s time to let them show you what they are made of. Then take care of you. Don’t allow things that you have no control over to stress you. Wake up every morning and take some time to plan out what you want to get accomplished. Set limits on how much time you devote daily to certain task!

No need for burn out, stress or frustration this coming year. Plan ahead to have a great 2012!

Shivawn Mitchell

“Don’t Just Have a Vision But Live it Loud”

Mentor. Author. Dream Motivator. Entrepreneur.

http://www.thebeautyboudoir.com

http://www.shivawnamitchell.com