Reinvigorating your entrepreneurial efforts in 2018

December 28, 2017 | Colleen O’ Connell-Campbell


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I don’t need to tell you that the dawn of a new year is an excellent time to be a little more aspirational as it relates to your business. Based on my own experience, I’ve come up with a few suggestions that I hope you will find helpful in 2018.

Remain curious

Many people who fancy themselves an expert in one area or another make the unfortunate mistake of believing they have nothing else to learn. As a passionate proponent of lifelong learning, I strongly encourage my fellow entrepreneurs to pursue every opportunity to enrich their knowledge base. Attend conferences, take courses and read up on subjects that will fuel your future success. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself – and you won’t be pegged a know-it-all.

Align yourself

You may think I’m stating the obvious when I say you should surround yourself with strategically-beneficial people, but I know from my own experience and through others, that being your own boss can often lead to rather insular working conditions – particularly if your business is home-based. So, I challenge you to GET OUT THERE. Find mentors, go for coffee with people you respect and seek their insight. Make the most of work-related events and connect with people whose wisdom and experience could help your business. And always express gratitude for the time and knowledge these people have shared.

Personalize your brand

When you look at your marketing materials and your online presence, do you feel it is an accurate and authentic reflection of who you are and what’s important to you? If the answer is no, take a deeper look and discover how a greater effort to represent your true self – in a consistent manner – could play a vital role in the success of your business. Social media is rife with opportunity for personalizing your brand. Examine all the possible avenues and see which ones work best for you. Then do your best to humanize your business by exercising transparency and authenticity. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or produce a less than stellar post. It’s only human!

Drill down

Do you plan on simply following the status quo, sticking to your 2017 goals and methodology? Instead, why not re-evaluate the strategic direction of your business. Is your product or service in demand? Are you tapping into your most valuable skills and talents? Maybe it’s time to hire your first employee to help take some of the administrative burden off. Bottom line, it never hurts to revisit the reasons you became an entrepreneur in the first place. Ask yourself if you’re where you want to be and if you’re not, ask yourself why. And more importantly, HOW will you get there in 2018?

I firmly believe that if you actively pursue at least two of these suggestions in 2018, you will breathe new life into your entrepreneurial efforts.