Monday, December 22, 2014

7 Simple Questions for a Healthy Business

Have you asked yourself this question lately?

What do I really want out of my business? 


Most of us forged out a business plan when we started our entrepreneurial venture, but what have we done lately? Our plan seemed to work years ago, but things change and today is moving faster than yesterday. Every December, I make it a habit to review my current year BEFORE January comes around. This gives me an opportunity to jump start my new goals for the new year. It also allows me time to reflect and review the things that worked and the things that didn’t work. Let’s walk through the process of asking the right questions, so we can make room for clarity in 2015.


Here are 7 simple questions I ask myself every December:


1. What worked?

2. How can I build on what worked?

3. What didn’t work?

4. What did I learn?

5. Where did I spend the most time?

6. How should I spend my time going forward?

7. What are my BIG ideas for next year and when will I implement them?


Doing this exercise gives you a clear snapshot of your business right now. It gives you a launching pad for your goals moving forward. It also allows you the opportunity to get rid of the clutter that gets in your way. The end result is a relevant business plan that makes you feel better, because you know what you need to do to get positive results. No one is going to tell you what to do or hold your hand along the way, so you need to step up and adjust your game plan.

How long will this exercise take? One option is to spend 20 minutes and get a quick snapshot. A more valuable way is to enjoy the process and think for a good 2-3 hours and really explore the possibilities of what’s possible over the next year. This is called working “on” your business and it is essential to your business growth. So grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair and ask “What do I really want for my business?




As a Professional Organizer, Speaker, Author, Podcast Producer & Host, Rick Woods helps residents and businesses make room for clarity, by getting rid of the clutter that gets in their way.

Rick’s newly released book “Make Room for Clarity” is a step by step guide to getting rid of the clutter that gets in your way. Available on Amazon. Listen to Rick's free weekly podcast "Make Room For Clarity", which focuses on interviewing business & health experts by visiting www.makeroomforclarity.com.

Inquire about Rick's professional organizing business, "The Functional Organizer, LLC.", which focuses on decluttering, organizing, paper filing and time management by visiting www.tforganizer.com.

5 comments:

  1. Rick:
    A great exercise that all of us should be undertaking on at least a quarterly basis! Thanks for the thought provoking post. Best for the holidays, Richard

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  2. Great article, Rick. We should all take time to reflect on what is working and what is not.

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  3. Great blog Rick. Your points are so relevant in today's business world. Great action plan for the new year. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Great checklist and worth following.
    Thanks Rick.

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  5. Thanks for the clarity and guide here, Rick. Very useful. Happy New Year!

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