Kickfannie InsideStrategy
by Coach Kathy Wilson, Change Strategist
THREE IMPORTANT NEW YEAR QUESTIONS FOR BUSINESSES
Happy New Year entrepreneurs and business owners! I hope you are excited about the upcoming year and all of its possibilities. I know I am. There is nothing like a new year to give you the feeling of a clean slate and a world of unlimited opportunities. But the new year should also be a time of reflection. It is a time to ask yourself some important questions about your business (as well as your life – as I believe a business should be a reflection of who you are and how you live your life). So without further ado, here are three important new year questions that you must ask yourself about your busness.
1. Is your business on purpose? You need to take a moment to remind yourself of what you are in business to do and ask yourself are you still doing that. Is your business still serving and impacting the lives of your clients the way you intended it to in the beginning? It is easy to get away from purpose when the focus turns to profit, or when other seemingly “amazing opportunities” come your way, so you need to check in every once in a while.
2. What should your business stop doing? It’s inevitable for many businesses that along the way someone will request a service that is not on the menu. You agree to do it and before you know it you have added it to your list of services. Or, you have service offerings that no one has requested in the past year. Or, you may be doing 15 things but really need to be focusing on seven. Whatever the case, it is important to take the time to sit down and ask yourself if there is anything in your business that you need to stop doing. Whether it is handling your own social media, writing 15-page proposals, using a certain e-mail marketing product, or dropping two or three service offerings, you should be on the lookout for opportunities to win now.
3. If you had it to do all over again, would you create the same business you have today? Not as excited about your business as you were in the beginning? Or maybe you’re just not thrilled with where your business is at the moment. Then it is time to ask yourself whether or not, if you had it to do all over again, you would create the same business. And if the answer is “no” then you’ve got some work to do. Whether you end up tweaking or completely recreating, I would never encourage you to continue with a business that brings you no joy or fulfillment.
Business is a constant journey of checking in and tweaking, adding and subtracting, all while staying focused on your purpose. You never want to get stagnant because the marketplace, as it continues to evolve and change, will pass you by. Taking the time to ask yourself these three important questions annually, or even bi-annually, will help keep you on track.
About the Contributor
Kathy, a former collegiate and professional basketball player and coach, is a speaker, author and change strategist in the Washington, DC area. Balancing the lessons she learned on the basketball court with her experience as an organizational training & development expert, Kathy brings a unique perspective on how to break through unconscious barriers in order to create positive and lasting change.
Kathy holds a BA in Communications from the University of North Carolina @ Chapel Hill, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Leadership Coaching and a Masters in Organizational Management from The George Washington University. For ten years Kathy has worked with a wide range of clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to public organizations including, The Securities and Exchange Commission, The Congressional Black Caucus, Vanderbilt University, Mary Washington Healthcare and Morgan Stanley empowering individuals to transform the way they work and live.
For additional information on Kathy Wilson check out her website at www.coachkathywilson.com