As the year is starting to come to a close, are you feeling inspired for what 2025 has in store? Perhaps you have set some new goals for yourself as a business owner, and you are getting ready now to put them into action. Being a small business owner comes with a lot of obstacles, but this should not discourage you from expanding your business and reaching your dreams. The best way to ensure your success in the new year is to put in time and energy into making your business run as smoothly as possible. Setting clear goals and being organized will not only help you carve a path for your business, but will encourage your employees and customers to join along for the ride.
Did you know that there are more than 33 million small businesses across the United States? This number shows that literally millions of people have cracked the code when it comes to entrepreneurship. There is not really any universal way to being successful in the business world, but having clear goals is necessary for upward growth. Expanding a business means you have probably already laid the groundwork, but you are inspired to grow your livelihood into something more. However, sometimes having too many goals and ideas at once can set your progress back. Defining exactly how you want to expand, what resources it will take, and then coming up with a clear gameplan is the best way to ensure things will run smoothly.
“The key to expanding your business is having clear plans and objectives. It can be easy to get caught up in all the possibilities of how you can improve your business, but it’s important to narrow down your goals, so that you can create specific plans. Having clear plans written down can help you visualize the process that you need to follow to actually reach your goals. Transparency is the key to success,” says Corey Pearson, Chief Quilt Artist and Brand Ambassador at Linda’s.
The second step to expanding your business is to be almost extra-organized. Growing a business into something new can be exciting, but you can’t forget about all of the progress you have already made. Sometimes when expanding a business, people can be too focused on the future instead of the present. In order to be successful, you need to have organized files, schedules and gameplans so that everyone on your team is on the same page.
Organization doesn’t always mean everything in your space is put away nicely, or that all your ducks are in a row. Staying organized means communicating with people on every level. When someone is left out of the loop, that can create obstacles and sometimes all it takes is one thing to create a domino effect of chaos. You don’t want to lose all the progress you have made, so organization is necessary for success.
“You also have to stay organized. Things can get complicated when working through a rebrand and it’s easy to stray from the overall mission of the company. Put a system in place that keeps all avenues in check, and make sure to communicate with your team. Your business cannot expand if your team is not aligned,” Pearson says.
Staying organized and having clear goals will also help you grow with your employees and your community. The beauty about small businesses is that they have the opportunity to connect with people and create real relationships. If employees and customers feel the chaos, they might not feel as comfortable investing their time and money into your mission.
It takes a lot of hard work, time and energy to be a successful business owner, but remember to stay confident in your skills and your abilities. The more you believe in yourself, the easier it will be to see growth in your future. Expanding your business in the new year is on the horizon.