As entrepreneurs, it is important to evaluate each year in business so you can assess progress and plan for the future. Before creating my goals and plans for the next year, I always ask myself these 5 year-end review questions. Get your pen and paper ( or keyboard) ready to take notes and save these questions for your next review.

What worked well this year?
Was there a particular marketing strategy, new product or service, or something specific that made a difference in your business? If yes, take note and think about what that means for the next year.

What didn’t work this year?
Not every idea, offer, platform, or service will work out. Experimenting is a major part of entrepreneurship but take note of what isn’t working before spending more time or investing more money into a dead end.

What issues do I need to solve this year?
Maybe you need to streamline your client onboarding process or hire a virtual assistant. Think about what issues need resolution in the next year to continue a clear path to success. I break these down into a quarterly action plan so that I am not trying to solve all my issues at once and stalling my progress.

What were my YTD analytics?
For me, this includes my year-to-date client list, service popularity, revenue, and expenses. Yours might be your YTD lead conversions, advertising ROI, or product return ratio. Whatever analytics you need to track to see what is happening within your business, January is a great time to compile all the data so you can make fully informed decisions for the next year.

What were my accomplishments from the year?
I recommend doing this more often than yearly but at minimum, take a moment to recognize your success from the previous year! Running a business is hard and there is often no one else who knows all the small wins it takes before noticeable big success. I keep a running list on my computer for whenever I have a moment that feels like a win, big or small, I write it down so I can reflect on it and remind myself that good things are happening, even if not visible from the outside.

Hopefully, this list allows you to take a business inventory at each year-end review and helps prepare you for another 365 days of chasing your wildest dreams!

xx Karmen

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5 Key Takeaways from Atomic Habits by James Clear

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