Make 2017 YOUR Year to Shine!

Making it through 2016 was no small task, and now you’re poised on the threshold of 2017, ready to make it your year to shine!

Be open to possibility!

Change is a fact of life, and even a well-established business has to adjust to it. The shifting political climate, the preferences that drive your own choices and those of your clients and customers, the evolving technologies that change the way you do business, handle your data needs, connect with the world — all of these changes open up new possibilities for growth, and new opportunities to shine.

Build on your successes.

Take a look at the past year, and discover what worked and what didn’t. Did you take a chance that brought you unexpected rewards? Did you “stay safe,” and find that your stable ground grew shaky? What wisdom did those experiences bring? If your business is still young, you may have made more regrettable decisions, but if you learned from them then count that learning as a success! As your business moves forward, you’ll make better decisions that will bring you greater success.

Take stock, and stock up!

Now is a good time to take a clear-eyed look at how well you met  last year’s  goals. Did you stay focused on your key objectives? What aspects of your business brought you the largest profits? How well did you use your marketing dollars to position your business for greater growth? How did you react to changes in technology that can improve your bottom line?

If your business is like most, you probably have a slow-down at this time of year. Use that breathing space to take your first steps toward making the changes that will lead to greater growth.

Be prepared!

The journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but unless you make that step in the right direction, you won’t reach your intended destination! Make  your  first steps into 2017 follow a carefully selected set of goals to make sure your business takes the path you have chosen! Consider your 2016 goals and objectives, adjust those that still apply, and develop new goals and objectives that embrace the positive changes you’ve already made.

Be flexible!

In case you didn’t notice, 2016 was filled with surprises. It’s not much of a stretch to think that 2017 will be the same. Don’t be so focused on your planned path that you miss the opportunity to move in exciting new directions. Look up, look out, look ahead, and notice the changes that can help you improve your business model, increase your efficiency, and build on the relationships you have with your clients and your business partners.

Then, stride forward confidently into the New Year, braced for success! Do that, and you’re sure to shine!