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Monday, December 15, 2014

The Business Chat - So where are you going?

Well heck, that was a busy season wasn’t it? If you’re in the crafty business you’re now winding down from the sales season (although those last minute online orders are still coming in). Now we can turn our attention to actually having a life and enjoying our holidays. 

But wait! Not so fast my friend. Just because you’re not selling as much now doesn’t mean you can stop working, it just means that it’s time to switch the focus of work. 

When you’re super busy selling and making you are working IN your business. While you’re working IN the business it’s all you can do to keep up with orders and phone calls and emails and supply runs and website updates and so on and so on and so on. 

Now that the year is ending this is the time when you need to step back and spend a little time working ON your business. Yes, it’s time for the annual review and business planning session! Oh boy! 

It’s incredibly important to take some time and set down in writing what you are trying to achieve and how you will do this. Intentions and goals are the key to success. Remember, this is YOUR business, if you haven’t any idea of what success is no one does. It’s your job to decide what your version of success is. 

Imagine getting in your car and having no destination. You just randomly drive and drive. You get nowhere. Occasionally that might be what you want to do but on a daily basis? It’s no way to live and it’s no way to succeed in business.

You need to know where you are going.

You are in charge of where you are going. You get to pick the route. You decide.

It’s your business, you make the calls. Sometimes life will throw a curveball at you and you have to change your path (hello recession!) but ultimately it is up to you where your business will go and how you will get there.

Before you can plan out your route you have to know your destination. This time next year what does your business look like?

I want you to stop and ponder this for a bit. Grab a notebook and a pen. (Great excuse to buy a lovely new notebook!) Really spend some time on this one because this is super important.

Here’s your homework. Write a letter about what 2015 brought you professionally. Then describe your business as of December 31, 2015.

As you write this you may notice a little voice in your head saying stuff like “you can’t do that, you don’t know how”. Or you may finish every sentence with a “but” and a reason why you can’t. Do not listen. This is an exercise in possibilities. Your inner critic has no place here.

Think about what your work will look like. Did you create a solid body of work? Maybe you built a good collection. Or took some great classes and learnt a new skill.

Think of what your work space will look like. Will you work alone at home, or in an outside studio? Do you have an assistant?

Where will you be selling? Did you do any craft shows in 2015, if so how many? How did they go? Maybe you finally got a new website or opened an Etsy shop. Speaking of sales did you hit your target numbers?


On December 31 2015 what do you want your business to look like?

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