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2016….what a year!  With the holiday season coming to an end, this is a great time to reflect on your small business.  For us, 2016 brought us to joining the GoDaddy team and we could not be more excited! Maybe this was your first year of business or maybe you are preparing to launch soon or maybe you have been in business for years now; it’s important to look at the strengths and weaknesses of this past year to prepare for the New Year! 

Reflection improves performance, so ask yourself: “What went well and what didn’t go well?”

Evaluating this past year’s successful moments

Think about some of this year’s top moments.  Maybe you launched a new product, sales increased, grew your employee team or received notable recognition; these are all big moments to be proud of and from which to learn!  However, not all success moments need to be big; they can be as simple as improved communication between employees or your website receiving more views than last year.

“It is fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” - Bill Gates

Evaluating your weaknesses

It’s hard to admit it, but sometimes we do make mistakes; we’re human.  No one ever said starting your own business was going to be easy, (but it’s worth it!)  Being able to identify what your small business can improve on is imperative to future success.

Some ideas to think about when preparing for the New Year:

• Strategy

Always have a strategy that yields growth. Does your marketing plan need some new improvements?  Look at other businesses and see what they do or look to new social media outlets to improve your online presence.

• Technology

Technology is the future.  How is your business keeping up with the latest trends in technology to keep up with your customers’ needs and competitors?

• Organization

Make sure all of your data, paperwork and inventory is up to date.  This will be able to help you start the year fresh!  Not so organized? Make it a goal this year to be more organized than last!

• Set goals

Look to set goals in your external and internal business operations.  Set an attainable goal, work hard and you’ll be able to meet them in no time!  Also, create deadlines and benchmarks to help you achieve them.

• Internal Operations

How would you evaluate your management style? Would you like your team to communicate more or maybe have more team bonding?  Think about ways to boost morale and create a stronger management style.

person show?  Are you still enjoying your work or feel overwhelmed?  Create a calendar to find your perfect “work/ life balance,” it will not only help you but your business overall!

2016 was a great year for small business and 2017 will only be better!  By reflecting on this past year and evaluating your strengths and weaknesses, you will help your small business grow and succeed.  Also, don’t sweat the small stuff that happened in 2016.   2017 is a new year--a year to grow! So cheers to 2017; another prosperous year of small business ahead!