One consistent thing over the past two years has been the continued support and camaraderie within the small business community as we all worked to overcome challenges and learn new ways to navigate our lives and continue to do business.
As we are presented with a new set of challenges stepping into 2022, consider all those times you were unsure of how you were going to accomplish something – you figured it out and you made it happen. Those are the times that you didn’t think you could – and you did.
“Remember when you didn’t think you could – and you did?”
Take this mantra with you and step into 2022 with these three immediate actions:
1. Look into the future with strong intention:
Looking into the future with any confidence may seem impossible with so much continued uncertainty. However, we must make some assumptions and put a stake in the ground to move forward and grow. None of us have a crystal ball or magic wand to tell us the future but given what we have experienced over the past couple of years, we can set intentions with strong strategy to ensure we are going forward.
2. Stay in touch with your customers:
As important as new business is, you must invest time every week to stay in touch with your existing and past customers. Be sure you know what is going on for them and how you might be able to help. This is a win/win strategy. If you are genuinely supporting and considerate of your customers, they will continue to work with you and refer work to you.
3. Embrace your numbers:
Running a business is both art and science. The art is your passion. The science is your numbers. As a business owner both are critical to your success.
Passion is what gets you up in the morning. Numbers are what keep you in the game. Most business owners avoid their numbers for as long as possible, sometimes until it is too late.
To move your business forward you need to make educated decisions based on more than just a gut feel and the balance in your checking account or your credit card. You need to know your numbers and what they mean so you can make wise and educated decisions.
