Achievable 2021 Goals for Your Small Business
2020 has been a tough year, but you can still set your company up for a successful 2021.
We know, we know — making a plan might feel futile after the calamity of the past year. But setting some goals will help you stay on track.
And, as you’ll soon see, many of the business-related resolutions in this list of goals will help you roll with the punches. No matter what happens.
1. Become more organized
You can’t control the outside world, but you can control the organization in your own world. The key is to set up organizational systems that work for your business and lifestyle.
An entrepreneur with young kids at home will need a different system than a professional who isn’t responsible for keeping small hands off their workspace. Take your lifestyle into mind when organizing. You’ll be more likely to stick with it that way.
2. Invest in education
The modern business world is constantly changing and evolving. If you don’t want to get left behind, you need to learn how to keep up.
Education is a great way to make sure your skills never get stale. You can take a certification course, join a networking group, enroll in a community college class, or watch YouTube videos online. There are so many ways to learn nowadays, so search around to find the best fit for your career and goals.
3. Make time for your personal life
This one can be tough for entrepreneurs and small business owners who are always on the go. But, personal time is necessary for business success. Burnout isn’t the best for productivity, after all.
If you’ve forgotten how to indulge in some self-care and personal time, here are some ideas to try:
- Read a book.
- Do something you enjoy.
- Go for a walk outside.
- Listen to a (non-business) podcast.
- Make time for family and friends.
After you’ve made more time for personal pursuits, you’ll return to work feeling refreshed and ready to tackle new problems.
4. Get control of your company’s finances
If bookkeeping is your least favorite activity and you have no idea what your operating expenses truly are, this resolution is for you: In 2021, make it a goal to get your business’s finances under control.
Hiring a virtual assistant is one way to tackle this goal, especially if you don’t have enough hours in the day. A VA can take over sending invoices, receiving payments, sending payment reminders, tracking expenses, and other essential bookkeeping tasks to make sure the books stay balanced.
5. Mentor a newcomer to your industry
Giving back makes you feel good, so consider lending your expertise to someone who is trying to learn the ins and outs of your industry.
Mentorship isn’t only useful to students and recent graduates, either. You can mentor anyone who could benefit from your knowledge and expertise.
6. Look for opportunities to automate
Technology allows us to automate tons of repetitive tasks. The possibilities are essentially endless, but there is a learning curve to automation.
Since automation can be so complicated, it’s best to start with a tool like IFTTT (If This Then That). You can use this software to do things like:
- Automatically share a blog post to Facebook
- Press a button to track billable hours in Google Drive
- Create a new notes document whenever a meeting is added to your calendar
- Log purchases from your business credit card in a spreadsheet
Try these and see how much time you can save on simple, repetitive tasks. Then, use that time to focus on your other goals.
