How to Make New Year's Resolutions that Stick: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself.

Are you planning on making New Year’s resolutions? Around 37% of Americans typically say they make New Year’s resolutions. This year, Forbes reported that fitness is the most common goal, with improving mental health and finances being the second and third most common resolutions. If you are looking to change jobs or start a business, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before making a New Year’s Resolution.

Why is this resolution important? 

The first question you should ask yourself is why this resolution is important.  In Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why, he explains how tapping into your why can help you find the motivation to do difficult things. Around 8% of people typically give up on their New Year’s resolutions within the first month of making them. Being grounded on why making a change is important can help you keep your resolution. I recently worked with a retail business owner looking to establish better boundaries with his employees. We discussed how establishing better boundaries would help him improve his relationships at home and give him more time to do things he enjoyed. He could push past discomfort and set better workplace boundaries by grounding himself in the anticipated benefits.

 

Who will support you in making this change?

The second question you should ask yourself is who will support you in making this change. In Professor Kay Milkman’s book How to Change, she talks about how important it is to have the right people around you when you are trying to change. One of the first questions I ask business owners looking to improve their business is who around them challenges them to evolve and grow. The people we interact with influence our expectations, thinking, and actions. When you spend time with peers, mentors, advisors, consultants, or coaches who can provide insight, guidance, role modeling, and support, you increase the likelihood of achieving your goals.

How will you position yourself for success? 

The third question you should ask yourself is how will you position yourself for success? In management consultant Jim Collins’ book Great by Choice, he tells of the importance of pacing yourself. He shares the wisdom of moderating effort to ensure that you can make consistent progress towards your goal. For example, last year, I worked with a consultant looking to increase their business through social media marketing. They were putting so much pressure on themselves to post every day that they hated to think about social media and would hardly ever post. We redefined the definition of good. Instead of setting the standard of good as posting 7 days a week, we aligned that posting at least once a week for a month would be good. By establishing a more realistic goal, he was able to reduce the stress related to social media posting. Eventually, he was able to work up to posting 3 to 4 times a week.  

Committing to resolutions can be challenging.  Applied Neuroscience Psychologist Dr. Hela Boschi states that our brains are wired to love routines and avoid uncertainty. Whenever you try to establish a new habit or make a life transition, you fight against learned behaviors, emotional triggers, and inertia. To overcome this, it is essential to start small, be grounded in why change is important, and seek out help from others. So, make your resolution, but also take the time to develop a plan and seek the support you need to achieve your resolution goal.

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4 Steps to Help Your Small Business Acquire More Customers

If you run a small business, one of the questions that keeps you up at night is how you will acquire more customers. Acquiring new customers is one of the biggest challenges for most small business owners. You need sales to fuel growth, and developing a winning strategy for attracting and retaining customers is vital to having a profitable business. 

Acquiring new customers starts with:

Step 1: Define your goal.

Establishing clear goals is the first step in the process. Defining success will help you determine the steps you need to take to achieve your goal. Start by determining: 

• How many customers do you need?

• How much time can you allocate each week to customer acquisition?

• How much money are you willing to spend?

• How long will you execute your plan before pausing to assess the success? 

Taking the time to define success upfront is essential. This can help manage your energy and anxiety as you achieve your goal. Growing your business is a marathon, not a sprint. It would help if you had a clear goal and milestones to help you understand how well you are keeping pace with achieving your goals. 

Step 2: Review your current customer funnel.

One of the best ways to get new customers is to tap into the lead sources that previously provided you with customers. Review your current customer base. 

• Where did they come from?

• How did you introduce your services to them?

• What lead sources are similar to where you found your prior customers?

• How can you leverage your current customers to acquire new ones?

By assessing where and how you have gained customers in the past, you will identify the actions you need to take to acquire new customers.

Step 3: Identify areas for improvement.

Now that you have a list of actions you have taken in the past to acquire new customers, you can begin to test out new approaches. A few things to consider:

• Can you expand current activities into new locations? For example, if you are having success gaining customers from listing your business on one website, could you look for additional websites to list your business?

• Can you allocate more money against current tactics? For example, if digital advertising is currently working, can you allocate more money to reach a larger audience?

• Are there parts of the prospect-to-customer flow process that can be improved? For example, are you slow to respond to potential clients, which leads them to select another vendor before you talk with them?

Reviewing your current processes and making improvements are essential steps to improving your effectiveness and attracting customers.

Step 4: Identify new marketing and advertising opportunities. 

Marketing and Advertising are complex and ever-changing fields. It is vital to continuously look for new and better ways to get in front of potential customers. Scheduling time once a week to research new ways of getting your services in front of potential customers is a must. You can research new ways to promote your business by:

• Asking peers how they are getting customers. Other business owners are doing similar work to you but are in different geographies or targeting a different customer group. Schedule time to share best practices and brainstorm new ways to reach customers. 

• Asking AI for suggestions on attracting new customers. AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard can give ideas on different lead generation ideas. Check out TikTok and Instagram feeds on AI prompts to get ideas for using AI for lead generation ideas.

• Conducting Market Research. Research services like yours on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Identify how and where competitors are marketing their products or services. You will likely identify tradeshows, networking events, and other in-person opportunities to which you should dedicate energy.

• Hiring an expert. Some professionals specialize in social media marketing, PR, event planning, and other sales, marketing, and advertising activities. Paying experts to help you with planning and execution can help you to accelerate your business growth. 

Summary

Acquiring new customers can give your business the boost it needs to grow. More customers can mean more revenue. More revenue can mean more investments, which can mean your business gains a more significant ability to meet or exceed your customers' needs. It all starts with having a goal, developing a plan, and adjusting that plan to help you achieve your goals. 

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Thank you for reading this blog

I am a father, husband, executive coach, and former retail executive. My coaching expertise comes from 21 years of leading operation, sales, and marketing teams.

I help small business owners and business professionals clarify their vision, define their strategy, and identify innovative ways to drive value for their organization.

If you are looking for a partner to help you accelerate your business or career growth, we should talk.

Grow your career

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Email: dcunion@yourpathexecutivesolutions.com

Start with the End in Mind: A Strategic Planning Toolkit for Small Business Owners

updated 4/6/2025

As a small business owner, you have a lot on your plate. You're responsible for everything from marketing and sales to product development and customer service. It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and lose sight of your long-term goals. You're likely juggling tight budgets and time constraints and may seek accessible, credible tools to help you grow your business.

Why "Starting With the End in Mind" is Your Business Superpower

"Starting with the end in mind" means taking the time to envision your ideal business future. It's about defining where you want to be in one year, five years, or even ten years, and then working backward to create a plan to get there.

Here's how this approach can transform your small business:

• Clarity: A clear vision eliminates distractions. You'll make decisions more confidently and avoid chasing opportunities that don't align with your core objectives.

• Motivation: When you know what you're striving for, you'll stay motivated, even when faced with the inevitable challenges of small business ownership.

• Efficiency: Strategic planning optimizes your resources. You'll use your time, money, and energy effectively, focusing on activities that drive you closer to your goals.

Your 4-Step "End in Mind" Strategic Planning Framework

Ready to implement this strategy? Follow these steps:

1. Define Your End Goal: Get crystal clear on your destination. What does success look like? Where do you want your business to be in the future? Write it all down with as much detail as possible.

2. Establish Your Values and Non-Negotiables: What are your business's guiding principles? What are you unwilling to compromise on? Defining these ensures your decisions are authentic and sustainable.

3. Define Key Milestones: Break down your big vision into smaller, achievable steps. What are the key milestones you need to hit along the way? This makes the journey less overwhelming and more manageable.

4. Move from Theory to Action: It's time to execute! Develop a timeline for reaching your milestones and work consistently toward your goals.

There is power in writing down your plan. Your brain can only process so much information at one time. When you write things down, you reduce the cognitive burden. This can allow you to connect ideas and opportunities that previously were not visible.

Your Action Plan for Strategic Success

Once you have defined your vision, it is time to turn it into a plan. Here are five ways to get started.

• Set SMART Goals: Use the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to make your goals concrete and attainable.

• Create a Business Canvas: Your business canvas visually represents your business model. It should outline your value proposition, expenses, activities, revenue stream, customer channels, and financial projections.

• Track Your Progress: Monitor your progress regularly to stay on course and make necessary adjustments.

• Celebrate Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. This builds momentum and reinforces positive behavior.

• Invest in Individual Coaching: Consider the power of personalized guidance. Individual coaching provides focused attention and customized strategies, often delivering a faster return on investment.    

There is only so much planning you can do. Eventually, you must take action, experiment, and make mistakes to learn and grow. Taking time upfront to build a clear plan will allow you to execute confidently. After you take action, you can reflect on the result, tweak your plan, and continuously improve.

Key Takeaways for the Aspiring Entrepreneur

All business go through phases. When you start your business you have more dreams than plans. As you conduct research, your awareness of opportunities grow, and you are better positioned to understand what your customers need and want. As you begin to provide products and services, you learn more about the market place and the position you can fill within it. Here are three final thoughts around building your strategy.

• Everyone Starts Small: Don't be discouraged by humble beginnings. Every successful business started somewhere.

• Competency Comes from Learning: Mistakes are part of the process. Embrace them as learning opportunities and keep moving forward.

• Confidence is Built on Success: Achieving your goals builds confidence. Focus on consistent progress and celebrate those wins!

Starting with the end in mind, it is a game-changer for small business owners. By envisioning your desired outcome and creating a strategic plan, you'll set yourself up for greater success.

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Thank you for reading this blog

I am a father, husband, executive coach, and former retail executive. My coaching expertise comes from 21 years of leading operation, sales, and marketing teams. I understand what it is like to feel stuck, undervalued, and underappreciated.

I also know what it takes to invest in professional development, climb the corporate ladder, and find fulfillment at work.

Your career path is a scavenger hunt. Each opportunity prepares you for the next. Allow me to help you clarify your path and accelerate your professional development.

Let's clarify your goals

Have Feedback Send me a note at

Email: dcunion@yourpathexecutivesolutions.com

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