5 Things I did Right in 2005

by Michele Pariza Wacek

All in all, I’m pretty happy with how 2005 turned out. My business is taking off. I’ve built a solid foundation to support even more growth (which I forecast for 2006) and I’ve even managed to take some time off.

I’d like all my readers to feel as good about their business as I do about mine, so I thought I’d take a moment to share 5 things I attribute to my successful 2005.

1. Attended seminars. This one is HUGE. Nothing beats getting out of your office and away from your computer and actually meeting people face to face. I’ve come away from these events with clients, joint venture partners, and more. (And that doesn’t even include the great information I absorbed and was able to put to use in both my business and my clients’ businesses.) If you only put one of my 5 tips to use, this would be the one to do — that’s how valuable I’ve discovered attending seminars to be.

2. Hired a coach. Again, this was another tough decision to make, but I’m really glad I did. It’s difficult to see your business objectively, so having a neutral observer on your team is extremely valuable. Coaches help you get out of your own way (and believe me, that’s a biggie for us entrepreneurs.) They can help you with both your inner game (your habits and mindset) and your outer game (your skills and business structure). I’ve used two great ones, Melanie Benson Strick, http://www.successconnections.com and Nancy Marmolejo, http://www.comadrecoaching.com

3. Started systemizing my business. Unless you want to be chained to your business night and day, you have got to start systemizing your business. Yes, all businesses should have systems in place, even if you don’t have anyone else working for you and you primarily sell services. The best part is when you do have systems in place, your business suddenly starts running a lot more efficiently and effectively (and you can start sleeping better at night and relaxing on vacation). If you want some help with this, Beth Schneider, http://www.processprodigy.com is fabulous.

4. Outsourced. For all you control freaks out there, this one is for you. If you don’t start hiring some help, I guarantee you’ll never be able to grow your business because you’ll be constantly doing tasks you have no business doing. Do yourself a favor and get some help…NOW. I’ve just hired a project manager/director of client services, plus I have 2 backup writers and 2 virtual assistants. Building a team has been a big stress reliever for me.

5. Focused on my inner game. Shifting my mindset away from “freelancer” to “business owner” was another big piece of the puzzle. As soon as I made that shift, all the other four techniques fell into place because it suddenly made them easier to do.

It’s tough to change your inner game on your own — hiring a coach is probably the fastest way to do this. But there are some good resources out there if you want to begin dabbling in it first. T Harv Ecker and Mike Litman both have some good products to get you started.

5 Mistakes I made in 2005

by Michele PW

Even though I’m pretty happy with how 2005 turned out, there are still some things I wish I had done differently. Here are 5 things I aim to change for 2006.

1. Didn’t take time out for me. I admit it, I have the typical entrepreneur bug. I spent way too much time working on my business and not nearly enough time on me. In 2006, I plan to take more breaks and schedule in some "me-time."

2. Wasn’t as consistent with my own marketing. Much like not taking time out for me, I also struggled with not taking as much time as I should have for marketing my own business. (Remember the old adage of the shoemaker’s children running around barefoot? Marketing my clients’ businesses always came before my own.) Now, my business has grown rapidly, so although I’m not exactly complaining, I do wonder where I’d be if I had been more consistent about my own marketing.

3. Got distracted. One of my biggest problems is what my coach, Melanie Benson Strick, Success Connections, calls "bright shiny object syndrome." That’s where you find yourself chasing all sorts of bright shiny objects (also known as "new" opportunities or "new" ideas) rather than focusing on your core business systems. What happens is you end up with a lot of half-finished or barely-started ideas and very few actually completed. I unfortunately have this syndrome bad. Although I’m muchbetter than I used to be, I still allowed myself to get distracted by a few half-baked plans in 2005.

Which leads me to #4…

4. Didn’t attain a couple of my business goals. Because I allowed myself to get distracted, I didn’t meet a couple of business goals in 2005. Needless to say, this mistake is at the top of my list of issues to address in 2006. Now that I know how to eliminate the vast majority of distractions, I’m looking forward to getting even more tasks accomplished in 2006.

5. Waited too long to do the things I did right. Okay, I know this is the wrong thing to focus on, but I just have to say it and then I can move on. 2005 was such a banner year for me and a large reason for that was because of the 5 Things I Did Right (you can read that article above). But unfortunately, I also can’t help wondering where I would be if I hadn’t waited so long to start doing those things.

Okay, I said it, and now I can move on. But please, if nothing else, don’t make THIS same mistake – read my article on the 5 Things I Did Right and see if there are a few things you can implement in your business. That may be the ticket to turning 2006 into your best year ever.

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Michele Pariza Wacek owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency. She offers two free e-newsletters that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.writingusa.com. Copyright 2006 Michele Pariza Wacek