Once again, it’s that time of year when we all reflect on the past year, pick apart our failures and applaud our successes.
It’s also that time of year many of us small business owners start making plans for the coming year.
How can I have fewer failures and more successes? How can I better market my services? What should I change? What should I keep the same? How can I better streamline my processes? Should I attend any conferences in the coming months? What are my priorities? Goals for the coming year?
We all have more than enough to think about.
For me, it’s a time of excitement and newness. In a sense, it’s a clean slate. Another new start from scratch opportunity.
Here’s what I learned in 2018:
Networking is valuable for so many reasons - encouragement, useful connections, marketing, being in the “know”.
There is so much to learn from others, both inside and outside of your industry.
Regarding yourself as the dumbest person in the room is only negative if it distracts you from soaking up the knowledge around you.
When you run across someone who is impossible to please, don’t keep expending your energy on them.
If most or all of your favorite clients centered around a similar niche, you’ve just found your specialty.
Don’t even think about giving up. You’re in it to win it. Keep. Plugging. Away.
Here’s what I am planning for 2019:
I am going to spend more time on marketing and less on cases I really don’t like.
I am about to start streamlining the bajeebees out of my adoption search process.
I plan to learn a whole lot more about genealogy.
I will continue to publish regular blog posts.
I will remain available to private investigators, clients, and anyone else who reaches out to me for help, advice, or questions.
I would encourage you to make your own lists. It keeps us fresh, goal-oriented, and moving forward. I’m pretty sure that’s where we all want to be.
Happy New Year from New Hope.