Ten things you can do today to make 2012 your most successful year yet!

Art from Bravegirls Club

The end of the year is both a magical and stressful time of the year for individuals and businesses alike. Between wrapping up the end of the year numbers and preparing for the new year, all sandwiched between decorating, baking and general Merry-making activities, December is bound to take a toll on you. Here are ten things you can do today that can have a profound and measurable effect on what happens in the upcoming year for your business.

1. Make Friends. Quit worrying about the competition stealing your ideas. If you're going to BE out there you've got to put yourself out there. Go find some friends in a complimentary business and learn from each other. Some of my very best professional relationships are from women in the same industry. We work together all of the time to try to come up with everything from contests to marketing and everything in between. Some times I just need to ask someone if an idea sounds feasible (or completely insane!). Work together and it all works for the greater good. 

2. Do something you've always wanted to do! There's no time like the present. Don't wait for conditions to be just right. Need some confidence? Again... ask those friends you made in tip #1 for some confidence boosters and I'm willing to bet that they'll become an instant cheering squad!

3. Stay with it! Don't give up. So many women are far too easily discouraged in their businesses. When something doesn't go according to plan - as opposed to figuring out what is not working, they tend to abolish the whole thing. Throwing the baby out with the bath water, as they used to say. 

When things get tough you can either throw in the towel or use it to wipe the sweat off your face. When doubt nags at you it doesn't necessarily mean it's time to close up shop. It means it's time to adjust your sails. What can you do that you haven't tried? What's working? What isn't? Not sure? Ask some of those friends you made from tip #1, above! When the world says 'give up', hope whispers, 'give it one more try.' Which leads us to...

4. Downsize. It's likely that not everything you're doing is going according to plan. You need to figure out what's working and what isn't and then act accordingly. In order to make room for your passions and for some NEW things, you will need to downsize some of the 'dead weight'.  Pick your bottom third of products and consider eliminating or reducing them. 

5. Streamline your system. You should have an idea of how long it takes you to prepare, photograph, list, package and ship an item. Every last detail should be accounted for in order to maximize efficiency and leave you as much time as possible to create and enjoy!

6. Keep learning.  I get some of my best ideas by simply floating around the internet. Pinterest is an amazing source of inspiration. Not only for project ideas but for techniques, packaging, display and even for some great snack recipes to enjoy WHILE you're creating!

7. Don't be afraid to fail. No matter how hard you tried, some things simply are not going to work out. Before you dismiss the entire thing, see if you could've tweaked this or that. If you've explored all avenues and nothing seems to work, it's time to let it go. Hanging onto things that didn't turn out just as we had hoped is a real roadblock to our success. A constant reminder that something we did did not go as planned. Ditch it, move on. Give that next idea in line its time to shine!

8. Show Off. There is nothing wrong with singing your own praises from time to time. Published? We wanna know about it. You've worked hard to get here and you deserve it. Don't leave your success buried between the pages of a magazine. Show us! Got a new products line? Well, let's see it! It's good business to toot your own horn. No one else is gonna do it for you! (Just be careful not to blow tooooo loudly , lest you scare some people away!) Most people who truly admire you and your work will be thrilled to read about your successes. And those who aren't? Well, we don't need them around anyway. (See tip #1...again!)

9. Freshen Up. The wording on your website may need a bit of freshening up for the new year. Is website really expressing what you truly do? Is it saying so in a manner that's welcoming and inviting to customers? Does it tantalize the search engines? Check your analytics. Where are your customers coming from? What are their demographics? Is this who you're targeting? If not, let's talk. 

10. Love it. I can't say it enough. You need to love what you're doing. If you don't, even if you're making good money doing it - then it's not as successful as it could be. You deserve to be doing what you love. When you do the rest will inevitably follow. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon. Believe in yourself. Follow your passion. BELIEVE that you deserve it. Because you do. You got this, sista. 

Owning a small business is never as easy as you'd hoped. By keeping yourself organized and happy you will be able to get the most out of your business this (and every) year!