By Evan Singer
The New Year brings with it the promise of a fresh start. So why not take a moment to reflect on the lessons learned from your small business over the past year, and move forward with a new focus on success?
The end of the year is a great time to review the past year’s achievements and create a plan to achieve even more results in the coming year.
Whether you need to be more efficient, keep up with the latest technology or implement innovative ways to find and retain new customers, New Year’s resolutions can help you create a plan of attack and stay on track.
To start, it’s important to think ahead. Ask yourself questions like: What’s your strategy for 2015? How will you grow? Are you changing your management model to increase sales or improve internal efficiency? What about marketing? Will you go after new markets or introduce new products? How much money will you need for growth?
Here are three New Year’s resolutions that can help you get your business ahead of the game for 2015:
1) File taxes early. If you want to borrow capital for your business and had a successful 2014, be sure to file your taxes early. Many banks will look at your tax returns to determine if your business has adequate cash flow for a loan. If you can use 2014 tax returns as part of the process, it can actually help you get approved.
2) Seek out refinancing as an option. Many SMB owners don’t realize that you can refinance your higher interest business loans just like you can refinance your higher interest consumer loans. Take the time to find an SBA lender, like SmartBiz, that allows you to refinance your company’s higher interest debt.
3) Build, build, build. Don’t let the media’s negative articles and stories scare you from investing to grow your business in 2015. The reality is that the economy is actually picking up, and unemployment is going down. So, now is the time to build your business.
The New Year brings new plans, new energy and a fresh take on old ideas for small businesses. Whatever your goals may be for 2015, your business is more likely to prosper if you apply your energy and resources to them in fresh and smart ways.
So what are you waiting for? Get started today.
Evan Singer is the General Manager for SmartBiz, the small business division at Better Finance.
