Let's Get This Party Started!
Focus for your HUGE 2018
Another reason is that it’s another turning point. A close to what has (hopefully) been a successful year, with an excited anticipation of what lies ahead.
For our business, 2017 was a great year of which we are quite proud of our achievements. We are in a fortunate position where we have incredible clients - hard working business owners who manage their businesses with passion and professionalism. That Focus for your HUGE 2018 makes coming to work very easy for us. We learn something new everyday, whether we stumble across something new or a client shows us a new idea. It keeps things exciting and it is a little bit of the "secret sauce" that has allowed us to grow over the years. We introduced a number of new initiatives in 2017, the main one being Finance Broking which has so far proven to be a good move. This has been a particularly exciting venture because fundamentally it’s a whole new business in its own right - something that we support our clients with everyday, however naturally it feels a little different when the shoe is on another foot - aka our foot!
We have always had "remote" clients. Being regional by name AND nature means that we have many clients out west, up north and some even down south, however in 2017 we successfully expanded our client base across State boundary lines - a little to do with our intention, but a lot to do with the support of one of our very special long term clients - but that is a story for another time.
So with a bit of reflection, I want to look at the lessons and learnings from 2017 and get pumped for what I suspect is going to be a HUGE 2018!
Lesson One:
When opening a new business you need to PLAN! Business Plan, Marketing Plan, Cash flow forecasting, Budgets, Standard Operating Procedures, Forms and Documents, Policies and Procedures. You can’t shortcut any of these (well you can, but it only shortcuts your results!)
Lesson Two:
Gratitude is so important. I have long held views on gratitude and being thankful and it only ever returns more and more happiness! The moment you realise that YOU control your destiny, the world is a much happier place. (Check out Fulham Consultings' own Lydia Rigano’s column from last months DUO for a great read on Gratitude)
Lesson Three:
My Parents are amazing (I bet yours are too). Thank you! Your continued support of everything that we do, professionally and personally is so humbling. You are stand out role models and I can’t imagine where I would be without your counsel and your guidance.
Ok, enough of that soppy stuff. Notice how it is only Lesson One that is really bona fide "businessy"? That’s my final lesson from 2017 - business is about people. Everything we do, in every business, of every size, shape and industry is about people. Not everything will go your way all of the time - be thankful for that - it reminds you to keep working hard. Focus on people, be a good person and make the most of 2018 - Let’s get this party started!
(Originally published DUO Magazine January 2018)