The 7 Issues I Do Each December to Set My Enterprise Up for the Yr Forward

I’ve been operating a small business for greater than twenty years. Over that point, I’ve developed some routines. One routine occurs every year at the moment. Throughout December, I’m trying forward and considering of the following 12 months. I make my plans. I make a couple of resolutions. I examine in with these vital. The precise particulars change every year, however the course of is similar.

Right here’s what I do yearly, on the finish of every 12 months.

Worker bonuses

Earlier than the 12 months is over, I attempt to ensure that all of my staff and contractors who impression my enterprise have been evaluated, linked and obtain my appreciation. I ship money bonuses to every of them. It’s a discretionary bonus that I provide you with yearly based mostly on profits and I’m cautious to ensure that the bonus is rarely lower than it was the earlier 12 months, until earnings are so unhealthy that I couldn’t afford to make the fee (which fortunately hasn’t ever occurred). Even in 2025, I’m doing these bonuses by handbook examine, which I slip into a vacation card that features a private word and is intentionally delivered old skool within the mail. For a couple of distant staff, I do the bonuses electronically, however nonetheless ship the cardboard.

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Worker evaluations

As a result of my enterprise is totally digital and plenty of of my persons are positioned all through the world, I’ve stopped doing vacation events. Nevertheless, I make it some extent to examine in earlier than the 12 months is over with all staff with an off-the-cuff analysis simply to verify they’re getting good (and constructive) suggestions and so they know the place they stand going into the following 12 months. I take this time additionally to determine a couple of objectives for the upcoming calendar 12 months (i.e., chargeability, income technology, shopper service scores, training certificates, and many others.) with every individual so they’re clear how they’ll be evaluated within the coming 12 months and might benchmark themselves.

Presents

Proper after Thanksgiving, I draw up an inventory of individuals whom I wish to thank for doing enterprise with me in the course of the 12 months. They’re purchasers, potential purchasers, suppliers, companions and other people within the media. I normally ship goodies from Godiva or a present basket, and I preserve the price range to about $35 per individual. There are normally about 50 individuals on this record, so you are able to do the maths. There’s additionally time concerned by my assistant to coordinate all of the ordering. Which implies there’s a price. Nevertheless it’s value it. I begin with final 12 months’s record and modify it. I get lots of pleasure in doing this. And I often hear again from individuals saying thanks, and I do know it’s appreciated. It’s not a lot, nevertheless it’s a real gesture and jogs my memory of the people who find themselves actually vital for my enterprise.

Forecast

For a enterprise as small as mine, I don’t do a budget. However I do put together a forecast. That is a web based spreadsheet and for my eyes solely. It takes me a couple of days to work on every year at the moment. I revisit compensation and different prices to verify my annual overhead displays actuality. I decide particular quantifiable objectives for my enterprise — chargeable hours, shopper undertaking completions, new media tasks and consulting purchasers, new shopper income, and many others. — however I don’t make them extreme or out of attain. My spreadsheet takes under consideration an inexpensive estimate of the work I can anticipate within the coming 12 months and displays each direct and administrative prices related to that work, together with a projected web revenue for the 12 months. This fashion, I’ve my numbers clear heading into the brand new 12 months and I do know what I’ve to attain.

Resolutions

New Yr’s resolutions are corny. However they’re helpful. Presently of 12 months, I make resolutions. For instance, on this coming 12 months, I’m resolving to fulfill sure of my distant staff in individual as soon as 1 / 4, even when which means me flying out to see them. I’m additionally resolving to lean deeper into AI in 2026 by assessing the capabilities I can leverage in my present software program (accounting, CRM, workplace) and investing in coaching for my individuals to make use of it. I’m additionally going to lean closely into an AI Assistant to help me in all issues I do in my enterprise — proper now it’s ChatGPT, however Grok is coming in as a powerful contender too.

Additionally, I’m committing to taking over a couple of tasks which are out of my consolation zone as a result of — though I’m risking profitability and even my repute — it’s the one solution to develop, and it retains one’s thoughts very energetic with new challenges. I attempt to preserve these resolutions to a small quantity in order that they’re achievable.

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Private objectives

Moreover my enterprise resolutions, I do make a couple of private objectives for myself every year. That normally revolves round sustaining a sure weight, exercising often, enjoying higher squash (don’t ask!) visiting a brand new nation (my spouse and I’ve been Airbnb-ing and dealing remotely three to 4 weeks in January in a unique nation every year over the previous few years and find it irresistible) or taking a household trip or taking a course in one thing I like. These objectives not solely give me one thing to stay up for but additionally preserve my head balanced between enjoyable stuff and work stuff.

Doc

A very powerful factor about forecasting, objective setting, and creating resolutions is accountability. None of this issues for those who’re not holding your self accountable to your commitments. To that finish, I create a activity in my calendar utility to “examine in” on all of this stuff on the finish of every quarter. I’ve come to stay up for doing this when the duty comes up on my to-do record for the day. It’s a solution to remind me of all that I’ve deliberate to do within the present 12 months and offers me a reset as to the place issues stand.

By the top of the 12 months, it’s attention-grabbing to see simply how a lot I achieved and the way reasonable all of my objectives have been. I preserve these duties in my historical past as a result of it’s additionally enjoyable to look again at what was on my thoughts 5 or ten years in the past. You’d be stunned at how trivial all of these “issues” that have been so vital again then are right this moment. It offers me perspective.

That is what I do yearly. That is my course of. It eases my thoughts. It offers me readability. It helps me look ahead. It helps me admire what’s previously. It helps me put together for the long run. For those who’re a enterprise proprietor like I’m, I strongly counsel doing one thing comparable. It really works.

I’ve been operating a small business for greater than twenty years. Over that point, I’ve developed some routines. One routine occurs every year at the moment. Throughout December, I’m trying forward and considering of the following 12 months. I make my plans. I make a couple of resolutions. I examine in with these vital. The precise particulars change every year, however the course of is similar.

Right here’s what I do yearly, on the finish of every 12 months.