The Bonsai Approach to Business

An old boss once said, “A job isn’t a life sentence. If you’re not happy, it’s okay to leave.” Employees can change jobs to find a better fit, a higher salary, or a new challenge. But when you work for yourself, you don’t have that option. You can’t quit and find a new ‘job’—you have to shape and refine the business you already have.

Self-employment is not a set-it-and-forget-it endeavor. It’s a living, evolving entity that requires continuous attention. Like a bonsai tree, you don’t overhaul everything at once. Instead, you make small, thoughtful changes that add up over time—adjusting your services, refining your pricing, redefining your brand positioning, and improving your processes—all to ensure your business grows in a direction that truly works for you.

The Power of Small, Intentional Adjustments

A bonsai tree isn’t shaped overnight. It takes years of careful pruning to cultivate the desired form. Similarly, small but consistent refinements in business can lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling enterprise.

Here are a few areas where small adjustments can have a big impact:

1. Your Offerings – Are you doing work you love or just taking any job that pays? Pruning your service offerings to focus on what aligns with your strengths and values can make your business more enjoyable and sustainable.
2. Your Pricing – Are you charging what you’re worth? Adjusting or restructuring your pricing model can significantly impact your profitability without requiring more work.
3. Your Positioning – Are you attracting the right clients? Sometimes, a slight tweak to your messaging, branding, or niche focus can make all the difference in bringing in the best-fit customers.
4. Your Systems and Processes – Are you making things more complicated than necessary? Refining workflows, automating tasks, or outsourcing small tasks can save time and energy for what truly matters.
5. Your Marketing Strategy – Are you showing up where your ideal clients are? Shifting how and where you market your business—even slightly—can help you build better relationships and gain more visibility.

Knowing When to Prune

Bonsai cultivation isn’t just about cutting away indiscriminately—it’s about knowing what to remove and when. The same applies to business. Not every service, client, or strategy that worked in the past will serve your future. If something is no longer serving your business, it may be time to trim it away.

Some questions to ask yourself:

• Are there clients or projects draining your time and energy without providing sufficient value?
• Are there services that no longer align with your expertise or long-term vision?
• Are there outdated marketing strategies you keep using simply because they’re familiar?
• Are you spending time on administrative tasks that could be automated or outsourced?

Pruning isn’t about cutting for the sake of cutting—it’s about creating space for the things that help your business thrive.

Growth Doesn’t Have to Be Radical

One of the biggest misconceptions about business growth is that it has to be drastic. Many entrepreneurs feel pressured to constantly reinvent themselves, overhaul their branding, or launch new services. But real, sustainable growth happens through small, incremental refinements.

Much like a bonsai tree, your business should be shaped with care, not hacked apart and regrown from scratch. The key is consistency—making small, intentional adjustments over time so that, years down the road, you have a business that aligns with your vision, strengths, and goals.

The Long-Term Mindset

Many small business owners struggle with feeling stuck or overwhelmed. It’s easy to believe that you need a total overhaul if your business isn’t where you want it to be. But remember, the best way to shape your business is through steady, thoughtful refinement—not reckless reinvention.

As the saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” The same is true for business growth. The best time to start making those small, intentional changes is today.

What’s One Small Prune You Can Make Today?

Every business owner has something they can refine or improve. It could be letting go of an unfulfilling service, raising your rates slightly, adjusting your positioning, or streamlining your workflow.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire business overnight. But one small, intentional change today will help shape your business into something stronger, more fulfilling, and better aligned with your long-term goals.

So, what’s one tiny “prune” you could make to improve your business today?

Why I Took on a Low-Paying Project

The client for this project is an old friend. They’re starting a new business, full of passion and drive, but lacking the experience to articulate their brand clearly. They have big ideas but don’t have the budget to bring in high-level marketing help. I’ve been working on a new service offering tailored for business owners like them—something designed to help startups and solopreneurs get the right foundation in place.

This project allows me to refine and implement my new offering. Instead of waiting for the ideal client to come along, I chose to test it out in a real-world scenario. The fee is lower than my usual rate, but the opportunity cost makes sense. I gain valuable insights, improve my process, and provide my friend with the support they need to move forward. In the long run, this experience will make my service more effective and marketable to future clients.

Opportunity vs. Profit: A Strategic Mindset Shift

In business, we’re often conditioned to think in immediate returns: How much money will this project bring in right now? But if we take a step back and assess the bigger picture, we realize that some opportunities provide returns in different ways:

1. Skill Development & Experimentation – Offering a new service, testing a new pricing model, or experimenting with a different workflow can be worth far more than a quick financial gain.
2. Relationship Building – People remember who helped them in the early stages. A small favor today can lead to a high-value client tomorrow.
3. Market Research & Proof of Concept – Working with an actual client in a new capacity helps refine your approach before scaling it.
4. Credibility & Referrals – A satisfied client, even at a lower rate, can become a strong advocate for your services and bring in future business.
5. Personal Fulfillment – Sometimes, the satisfaction of making an impact outweighs the financial return.

Finding the Right Opportunities to Take On

Of course, not every low-paying project is worth your time. Here are some guidelines for identifying when an opportunity is strategically valuable:

• Does it align with your long-term goals? If the project helps you refine a service you want to offer at scale, it’s a smart move.
• Does it provide learning opportunities? If you’ll gain new skills, insights, or case studies from the experience, it’s worth considering.
• Does it strengthen a key relationship? Helping someone who might later become a valuable client or referral source is an investment.
• Does it have the potential to open doors? A project that puts you in front of a new audience or builds credibility in a new niche can be highly valuable.

When to Say No

Not every small project is an opportunity. If it distracts from your main business goals, takes too much time, or involves demanding clients with no future potential, it’s okay to say no. The key is to differentiate between a low-value project and one that offers strategic benefits beyond immediate revenue.

The Bigger Picture

Taking on a project for the long-term opportunity rather than immediate profit isn’t about working for free or undervaluing yourself. It’s about being strategic with your choices and recognizing when an investment in time and experience will pay off down the road.

Some of the best opportunities don’t show up in the form of a high-dollar contract. They come disguised as small projects, collaborations, or experiments that allow you to refine your skills, build relationships, and create something bigger than the project itself.

Would some business coaches tell me this was a mistake? Maybe. But I believe that when you focus on creating value, the money always follows.

Sound familiar? If you work for yourself and generally by yourself, you’ve probably found yourself stuck in decision-making mode more times than you’d like to admit.

When running a one-person business, every decision feels high-stakes—because you are the business. You don’t have a team to bounce ideas off and no boss to give you directives. Every choice, from pricing your services to picking a marketing strategy, falls squarely on your shoulders.

And when there are too many options, it’s easy to wait. Wait for the “perfect” choice. Wait for more information. Wait for a sign.

Why We Get Stuck

Overthinking decisions often comes down to three things:

1. Fear of making the wrong choice. You worry that you’ll waste time, lose money, or hurt your reputation if you choose wrong.
2. Fear of missing out on a better option. FOBO makes you hesitate, thinking something better might come along if you wait just a little longer.
3. Perfectionism. You want to get it just right, so you delay action in the name of more research, more planning, more thinking.

But here’s the truth: Not deciding is a decision in itself. And often, it’s the worst one you can make.

You Probably Already Know What to Do

Deep down, you likely already know the next step to take. But instead of taking action, you hesitate—overanalyzing, second-guessing, and getting lost in a loop of “what-ifs.”

• What if I pick the wrong niche?
• What if I price my services too high—or too low?
• What if I launch my website and nobody cares?

Here’s the thing: There is no perfect decision. Only the best decision you can make right now with the information you have.

And the only way to know if something will work? Take action.

Progress Beats Perfection Every Time

Running a business isn’t about getting it right every time—it’s about experimenting, learning, and adapting.

Instead of agonizing over the perfect decision, try this instead:

1. Make a choice. Pick the best option based on what you know right now.
2. Take action. Implement the decision and give it time to play out.
3. Evaluate. Did it work? What did you learn?
4. Adjust as needed. If it didn’t work as expected, tweak it or try something else.

This mindset shift—from seeking perfection to focusing on progress—is the key to moving forward.

Treat Decisions as Iterations, Not Final Answers

Most decisions in business aren’t permanent. They’re tests.

• Your pricing isn’t set in stone—you can adjust it as you learn more about your market.
• Your website isn’t forever—you can tweak the messaging or design anytime.
• Your marketing strategy isn’t one-and-done—it’s an ongoing experiment.

The faster you make decisions, the quicker you get real-world feedback. And that feedback is what helps you refine, improve, and grow.

Closing the Loop On this…

Every successful business owner you admire has made plenty of mistakes along the way. The difference? They didn’t let overthinking stop them from starting.

So, what decision have you been putting off? Take the next step today—because action is what creates clarity, not the other way around.

Why Referrals Work So Well

Referrals are rooted in a universal truth: people trust recommendations from people they know. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or colleague, a referral carries more weight than any ad or promotion. This trust is the foundation of what Bob Burg, author of Endless Referrals, calls the “Know, Like, Trust” principle:

1. Know: People can’t refer you if they don’t know you. Build awareness by networking, sharing your expertise, and making your presence known in your community or industry.
2. Like: Customers are more likely to refer someone they genuinely like. Be approachable, authentic, and relatable in your interactions. Let your personality shine through in your work and communication.
3. Trust: The most critical element, trust is earned through consistent, high-quality service and open communication. When people trust you, they’re confident recommending you to others.

By focusing on these three elements, you’re not just building a customer base—you’re creating advocates eager to spread the word about your business.

How to Encourage Referrals Naturally

Referrals often happen organically when customers are delighted by their experience. However, there are ways to gently encourage more referrals without being pushy:

1. Do Outstanding Work. The foundation of any referral is a great experience. Clients are more likely to talk about you when you consistently exceed expectations. Aim to deliver results so impressive that your customers can’t help but share their experience with others.
2. Ask for Referrals. Don’t be afraid to ask! Many satisfied customers are happy to refer you; they just need a little nudge. A simple, casual request like, “If you know anyone who could benefit from my services, I’d appreciate it if you’d share my name,” can go a long way. Timing is key—ask when a client is particularly pleased, such as after a successful project or glowing feedback.
3. Show Gratitude. When someone refers a client to you, take the time to thank them personally. A handwritten note, a thoughtful email, or even a small gesture of appreciation can strengthen your relationship and encourage future referrals. Gratitude builds goodwill, which keeps your business top of mind.

Why Referrals Are Perfect for Solopreneurs

As a one-person business, your reputation is your greatest asset. Referral marketing amplifies your reach without requiring significant time or financial investment. Here’s why it’s ideal for solopreneurs:

• Cost-Effective Growth: Referrals eliminate the need for expensive ad campaigns. Your satisfied clients become your marketers, promoting your business for free.
• High-Quality Leads: Referred clients often come pre-qualified. They’ve already heard positive things about you and are more likely to trust and hire you.
• Stronger Relationships: Referrals strengthen your connection with both the referrer and the new client. They create a sense of community and trust, which is invaluable for long-term success.

The Timing Advantage

When you ask for referrals, it matters just as much as how you ask. The best time is when your client is happiest—after a successful project, glowing feedback, or a positive milestone in your work together. For example, if a client praises your work in an email, that’s the perfect opportunity to reply with a friendly, “Thank you! If you know anyone else who might need similar help, I’d be grateful if you’d pass along my name.”

Make the request feel natural and personal. By aligning your ask with moments of satisfaction, you’ll increase the likelihood of getting a positive response.

Referrals as a Reflection of Your Business

Referrals are more than just a way to gain new clients—they’re a testament to the quality of your work and the trust you inspire. When customers refer you, they’re putting their reputation on the line, which speaks volumes about their confidence in your abilities.

Every referral is an opportunity to strengthen your reputation and expand your reach. By focusing on delivering exceptional experiences and building genuine relationships, you’ll create a steady stream of word-of-mouth growth that supports your business for years to come.

Your Next Steps

Start by looking at your current client relationships. Are there satisfied customers who might be willing to refer you? Reach out, thank them for their support, and let them know you’d appreciate their recommendation. Focus on doing great work, staying authentic, and building trust—the referrals will follow.

Remember, referral marketing isn’t about flashy programs or big budgets. It’s about creating connections, delivering value, and letting your work speak for itself. With time, this approach can fuel organic growth, reduce costs, and build a loyal client base—all powered by the most genuine endorsement: happy customers spreading the word.

Yesterday, I was wrapping up my class at the local campus of a larger university when a colleague pops in to tell me there’s free food—pizza, pasta, cake—the works—in the common room. Naturally, I’m not one to pass up free carbs, so I head downstairs.

Turns out it’s a little pre-holiday celebration for staff, faculty, and students. I grab a plate, scoop up a little of everything, and look for a place to sit. I end up at a table with two guys wearing black polos with the school’s red logo on them.

They introduce themselves as Joe and Al—both super nice—and we start chatting about academic programs, campus happenings, and names of people I don’t know. I figure, Why not jump into the conversation? So I chime in, and we start talking about the growth in the area. Turns out Joe is in town from the main campus in Chicago, and Al moved here from Chicago in June for his new role of Partnerships and Fundraising Director. Joe then mentions that he was just in the town where I live to meet with the Town Manager about bringing the MBA program to the academic campus in town.

That’s my cue. I casually drop that I’m from that town, on the board of the Chamber of Commerce, and that I’ve taught branding and marketing strategy courses in master’s programs before.

Joe perks up. I explain a bit about the classes I’ve taught where students create and pitch a brand as if they’re trying to raise funding. He says, “That’s really interesting! We’ve been talking about adding more entrepreneurship classes to the MBA program. I’d like to hear more about your course.”

He doesn’t have a business card but asks if he can text me his info. Sure thing—I give him my number, and a minute later, I get this text:

“Hi Andy. It’s Joe. Please email me at joef@xxxx.edu re: Branding courses within MBA. Thank you!”

Joe heads off to a meeting, leaving me chatting with Al about marketing and entrepreneurship for a bit longer.

As Al and I continued to chat, I learned who Joe really was: He’s the president of the university.

The takeaway? You’re always networking. Even when you think you’re just grabbing free pasta, you might be sitting next to someone who can open doors you didn’t even realize were there. So always show up, be curious, and stay ready—you never know who you’re talking to.

And don’t forget to follow up on these opportunities!

The Benefits of Downtime

It’s easy to overlook the fundamental need for rest and rejuvenation. However, stepping away from the daily grind isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential for your overall well-being and the health of your business. Regular breaks offer a unique opportunity to disconnect from immediate pressures, providing the mental space needed to gain fresh insights and perspectives. This time away instils a sense of balance, allowing you to return to your work with a clearer mind and a more focused, strategic approach. Prioritizing downtime helps you reconnect with your passion and purpose, ensuring that your entrepreneurial journey remains sustainable and fulfilling. Here’s why every solopreneur and business owner should prioritize taking time off:

Preventing Burnout: Ever felt like you’re running on empty? That’s burnout creeping in. Downtime lets you step away, recharge, and return with renewed energy and focus. Whether a short vacation or a day pursuing personal interests, these breaks are crucial for your mental and emotional well-being.

Cultivating Creativity: Creativity thrives when the mind is relaxed. Taking a break from your business lets you gain fresh perspectives and generate innovative ideas. Whether trying new hobbies, exploring new places, or simply relaxing, downtime sparks creativity by exposing you to new experiences and inspirations.

Improving Decision Making: Constant work without breaks can lead to decision fatigue, affecting the quality of your choices. Taking time off helps you approach challenges with clarity and make better decisions aligned with your business goals.

Enhancing Productivity: Ironically, downtime can boost productivity at work. Stepping back periodically prevents overwork, allows you to return to work with increased efficiency, and allows you to focus on what matters most for your business.

Maintaining Work-Life Balance: Solopreneurs and small business owners often blur the lines between work and personal life. Downtime helps you set boundaries, prioritize self-care, and nurture personal relationships. Achieving a balanced life sustains your entrepreneurial journey in the long run.

Downtime Options: Vacation vs. Sabbatical

Vacation: Refresh and Reconnect

Whether a short getaway or an extended trip, taking a vacation is a classic way to recharge as a solopreneur. It’s a chance to unwind, explore new places, and immerse yourself in different experiences. Whether you choose a relaxing beach retreat, an adventurous hiking trip, or exploring a new city, vacations provide a crucial break from your daily business routine.

Benefits of Vacation:

• Physical and Mental Renewal: Stepping away allows your mind and body to recover from stress, ensuring you return with renewed vigor.
• New Perspectives: Traveling exposes you to different cultures and environments, sparking creativity and inspiring new ideas for your business.
• Quality Time: Vacations offer an opportunity to strengthen personal relationships and reconnect with loved ones.

Sabbatical: Deep Dive into Personal Or Professional Growth

A sabbatical is a break aimed at personal and professional development. It’s a chance to pursue passion projects, learn new skills, or simply reflect without the day-to-day pressures of your business.

Benefits of Sabbatical:

• Focused Self-Improvement: Use this time to enhance your skills, explore new interests, or strategize for your business’s future.
• Strategic Planning: Step back to assess your business from a broader perspective, refine strategies, and set ambitious goals.
• Renewed Inspiration: Engaging in activities outside your routine reignites your passion and creativity, bringing fresh energy to your entrepreneurial endeavors.

Choosing the Right Downtime Strategy

Deciding between a vacation and a sabbatical depends on your current needs and goals. Vacations are ideal for rejuvenation, while sabbaticals offer a deeper exploration of personal growth and business strategy. Both options are invaluable investments in your well-being and the long-term success of your business. Remember, downtime isn’t just about resting—it’s about recharging your creativity, enhancing productivity, and ensuring sustainable success as a business owner over the long haul.

There’s a lot of talk and writing about AI these days. Especially ChatGPT and its main competitors/lookalikes Perplexity, Pi, Gemini (formerly Bard), and Grok.

But I don’t see anyone discussing the practical uses of AI tools for business owners in everyday life. So, I wanted to add my two cents about AI tools from a practical point of view.

Unlike the posts providing prompts you can use or merely reviewing the newest AI app startup, my goal is to highlight AI tools that make business tasks easier, take less time, and automate mundane or repetitive tasks.

If you run a 1 to 15-person service-based business, these AI tools are worth looking at.

1. Manage your relationships with Cloze: Most customer relationship management (CRM) tools are complex pipeline management apps with so many features that you need to watch several hours of tutorials or hire a consultant to implement them into your sales process.

Cloze is easy to use for managing prospects, opportunity pipeline progress, and even ending email campaigns. But two features stand out, and both use AI to make them happen.

1. Cloze can detect updated information (phone, Email, social links, etc.) for your contacts based on the Email they send you. It will ask if you want to accept those new details and then update your contact’s information in your address book for you.
2. Cloze will automatically remind you to reach out to your contacts based on your relationship and the frequency you typically email, call, or text them.

Everyday use case: Client and prospect outreach and follow-up is important but easy to forget to do. Forget the spreadsheets and calendar reminders; let Cloze remind you to do it automagically. Log in to the web dashboard or smartphone app and review the “Keep in Touch” section. Selecting Send Email will open a pre-written template that you can use (you can send your Email from within Cloze) or write a custom message. Cloze can also track when your contact opens and reads your Email, helping to manage your prospecting process easily.

Check it out at cloze.com. There is a free trial, but the basic annual plan is affordable.

2. Write more professionally with Grammarly: Nothing makes you look more like an amateur than poorly written emails, proposals, blogs, and website landing pages.

There are many AI writing tools, but my favorite is Grammarly. It integrates into your device OS to help you write better everywhere. This integration means that Grammarly can suggest spelling, grammar, and syntax corrections anywhere you can type.

Everyday use case: Once installed, you don’t need to log into your Grammarly account to write. Instead, you’ll see Grammarly’s suggestions in any text field you write in. This integration is helpful when writing an off-the-cuff post or comment on LinkedIn or an email in webmail or an email client. Grammarly will automatically suggest revisions for clarity, as well as spelling, grammar, and syntax.

Check it out at grammarly.com. There is an excellent free version, but the premium version is better for long-form writing.

3. Protect your calendar and time with Reclaim. Busy entrepreneurs live by their calendars. Whether you use time-blocking to schedule deep work, sign up for demos of new software, schedule meetings with clients, or plan 1-to-1s and lunches for networking, it’s easy to get overbooked.

Reclaim uses AI to automatically manage your calendar, preventing overbooking and leaving time between events to get work done.

Everyday use case: Set up Reclaim to add buffer time and breaks between meetings. Once set up, Reclaim will automatically:

• Add 30 minutes after a meeting to decompress, allowing you to review your notes and set up action items resulting from the meeting.
• Add travel time before events away from the [home] office so that another event that would cause you to be late isn’t scheduled.
• Add buffer time between events and meetings when turning to-dos into calendared events so that you can mentally switch tasks.

Check it out at reclaim.ai. The free (lite) version is fine for most people but limits some functions. The Starter (paid) version removes most limitations. Note: Reclaim currently only supports Google Calendars (free and paid Workspace), but it says Outlook support is coming soon. If you use Outlook, then check out Motion for similar features.

Note: I use these tools daily; I won’t earn anything (no affiliate linking) if you click on the links.

To help you with this process, I’ve put together a seven-point checklist for a successful mid-year brand and marketing checkup:

1. Review your brand message and positioning: Take a critical look at your brand messaging and positioning to ensure it still aligns with your business goals and target audience. If you’ve made any changes to your products or services, your messaging and positioning may need to be updated to reflect these changes.

2. Analyze your website traffic and user engagement: Use website analytics tools to track your website traffic and user engagement. This information can help you identify which pages and content are performing well and which may need improvement. You can also use this data to adjust your SEO strategy to drive more traffic to your site.

3. Evaluate your social media strategy: Review your social media profiles and analyze the performance of your posts. Consider which types of content resonate with your audience and which platforms drive the most engagement. Use this information to adjust your social media strategy for the second half of the year.

4. Check your visual branding: Your visual branding is an important aspect of your brand identity. Make sure that your visual elements, such as your logo, color scheme, and fonts, are being used consistently, including on your website, social media profiles, invoices, and email signature.

5. Audit your content marketing efforts: Take a closer look at the content you’ve created this year. Review your blog posts, videos, infographics, and other materials to ensure they’re on-brand and provide value to your target audience. Make adjustments as needed to improve the quality and effectiveness of your content.

6. Evaluate your advertising campaigns: If you’ve been running paid advertising campaigns, evaluating their effectiveness is essential. Review your ad spend, click-through and conversion rates to see if you’re getting a good return on investment. Adjust your campaigns as necessary to optimize your results.

7. Get feedback from your customers: Finally, reach out to your customers/clients and ask for feedback on their experiences with your brand. Use this information to identify areas where you can improve your brand and marketing efforts to meet their needs and expectations better.

These tips will help you conduct a successful mid-year brand and marketing checkup. Remember, a strong brand and marketing strategy is crucial to the success of your business, and regular check-ins can help ensure that you’re staying on track. 

Bonus tip: Seeking help from a branding and marketing pro can be incredibly valuable for your mid-year checkup. As your resident expert, I can offer you a fresh perspective and objective insights to improve your strategy. 

Feel free to reach out if you need guidance on industry trends and best practices, or use my 15-minute brand checkup worksheet to see. Let’s work together to take your brand to new heights!

There are many reasons why New Year’s resolutions may not work. Some common causes include setting unrealistic goals, not having a clear plan or strategy for achieving the goal, losing motivation or interest over time, and not tracking progress or accountability. Additionally, some people may be more successful at achieving their resolutions than others due to their level of commitment, ability to handle setbacks or obstacles, and overall support system.

Monthly, or Mico-resolutions to the rescue.

This is why the monthly resolution works so well. Whether you call it a resolution, micro-resolution, or micro-goal, the results will be the same; instead of your attention being pulled in multiple directions, you’re forcing yourself to focus on just one thing. 

You could set for yourself 12 habits you want to build or change throughout the year but focus on just one each month. After all, they say that if you do something new consistently for 30 consecutive days, it will become so routine that you don’t even think about it anymore. 

Or your monthly resolutions could be different each month, like focusing on a habit one month, completing a personal project the next, or whatever great big substantiative goal you want to achieve within 30 days.

One month last year, my resolution was to “protect my time,” which meant saying no to projects and meetings that didn’t advance my more significant over-arching business and personal goals.

The benefits of monthly resolutions

One of the benefits of monthly resolutions is that they help you stay motivated and engaged. When you create a long list of New Years’ resolutions, it’s easy to lose sight of your progress and become discouraged. With monthly resolutions, you can see your progress more frequently, which can help you stay motivated and on track. 

Another benefit to monthly resolutions is that you stay motivated. Monthly resolutions help you build momentum and increase your chances of success. Achieving a small goal can give you a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to keep going. 

Since starting my monthly resolutions, I have accomplished much more throughout the year, and favorable resolutions were more easily achievable than negative ones. Meaning that resolutions to create, revise, or improve something felt better to work on a little bit each day than resolutions that started with the words “don’t” or “stop.”

There are two crucial things to remember about this process. First, you need to write your monthly resolution down so you can see it in front of you daily. Put it in your calendar, write it on a post-it, write it down in your daily journal, whatever it takes. Second, be flexible and keep going even if progress is made slower than you like. Some resolutions take more time and effort. I’ve even carried a resolution over into the next month from time to time.

Do you want to make 2023 your most productive year ever? Are you wondering, “how am I going to get everything on my to-do list done?” I can help; just reach out for a chat.

A “start, stop, continue” list is a helpful tool for reflection and growth. For a business, it can be used to identify projects, initiatives, and activities that are worth starting, stopping, or continuing to achieve specific business goals.

Doing a “start, stop, continue” list can be a valuable exercise for helping you identify areas of your business where you can make positive changes. It is a simple but effective way to reflect on your current business activities and plan to move forward in a more positive direction.

To do a “start, stop, continue” list, you actually need to make three separate lists: one for things you want to start doing, one for things you want to stop doing, and one for something you want to continue doing. This exercise can be done for any business area, such as operations, marketing, and finance.

For the “start” list, think about things you want to start doing to improve your business or reach your goals. This could include reaching out to past clients, attending trade shows, or writing a monthly blog. The key is to make these things specific and achievable, so you can focus on making progress toward them.

For the “stop” list, think about things you want to stop doing that may be holding you back or causing problems for your business. This could include things like procrastinating, overspending, or engaging in unproductive tasks. By identifying these habits and behaviors, you can start working on making positive changes.

For the “continue” list, think about things you are already doing that are working well for your business and that you want to keep doing. This could include things like staying organized, attending strategic networking events, or collecting customer reviews. You can build on your current strengths and successes by continuing to do these things.

Once you have made your “start, stop, continue” lists, you can use them as a roadmap for making positive changes in your business. You can set goals for each item on your “start” and “stop” lists and develop a plan for achieving those goals. One way to do this is to use the SMART goal-setting framework, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. By setting SMART goals, you can increase your chances of success and make progress toward your objectives.

In addition to setting goals, you can do a few other things to increase your chances of success when working on your “start, stop, continue” list. First, enlisting the support of employees, contractors, family, or a coach or mentor can be helpful. Having someone to hold you accountable and cheer you on can make a big difference in your ability to achieve your goals.

Second, it is essential to be flexible and not get discouraged if progress is not made as quickly as desired, as long-term behavior change can take time and effort. Finally, it can be helpful to track your progress along the way, using tools like a journal, spreadsheet, or app to help you stay on track.

Overall, doing a “start, stop, continue” list is a simple but powerful way to reflect on your current activities, habits, and behaviors and plan how to move forward in a more positive direction. By identifying the things you want to start, stop, and continue doing and setting specific and achievable goals, you can work towards making positive changes in your life. By enlisting the support of others, being flexible, and tracking your progress, you can increase your chances of success and make meaningful progress toward your objectives