2014 is here and everyone is renewed with hope, excitement, and goals!
It really is a great time. However, recent events in my personal life have made me re-evaluate what my business goals were. The good news? I’m even more committed to helping my clients with their content and business growth. What this small moment of crisis did for me, was open my eyes and realize that I cannot build my goals based on what other people are doing. Rather, I must build my company (and life for that matter) based on my own “why” in life, building my own path one brick at a time.
When looking at your business – whether a solopreneur, partnership, or small business – assess your growth based on your goals, past successes, and vision, not what another company is doing. We can all get caught up in “Keeping up with the Joneses,” but it is crucial that we stay true to our own path, values and vision and recognize that we have no idea what another company’s struggles are in their own growth.
So, when setting your business (or personal) goals this year:
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Go back to basics
Think of why you started your business. What was your purpose then as this will most likely keep you on your true path. Are the strategies you now have in place supporting the purpose of your company? If not, look at why and how they went off course. If you were trying to build your company in the image of another’s, than you have lost your core “why.”
If your purpose has changed, then you need to assess what strategies are or are not supporting this new purpose. Everything you do in your company must be driven by the basic reason you started, or continue to run, your business.
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Look at your company’s personality
Are you setting goals that don’t align with the personality of your company? What I mean by this is, for instance, if starting a blog, start one because you want to share your unique voice and the insights that your company, and only your company has.
If you are a solopreneur, your experiences and tone will be so different than that of a business employing 10 people, and even more different than one with 50+! By looking at WHO your company is, you’ll be able to start developing and reaching goals that align with your own voice…and grow your client base in a much more focused way!
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Most importantly, stop comparing yourself
Yes, it is always good to know what your competition is doing, but stop comparing yourself to them. Set up goals based on your needs and vision, rather than what you “think” your competition is setting up. Besides, it’s much like looking at your friends’ Facebook profiles – you’re only seeing what they want you to see. You do not know your competition’s struggles, specific goals and tactics, or even staffing levels really! The only tangible information that you have is about you and your business. Grow based on that!
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Lastly, be realistic, but have fun!
Get creative and think of setting goals unique to your skills and personality. Want to double your revenues? Start looking at your numbers and think of fun ways to connect with clients to re-engage accounts that are quiet – have you thought of Happy Groundhog Day cards? Want to have a blogging voice? Ask your (close) clients to give you the top three personality words when they think of you!
Your goals and business path will be like no other company’s. Look inward and go from there.