For many, especially small business owners, the year 2021 was not a great year. However, with the start of the New Year, these entrepreneurs have the opportunity to make necessary changes and tweaks to their business.

Have YOU thought about how you can make 2022 better than 2021?

Prioritize Company Culture

Throughout the pandemic, businesses have been dealing with “The Great Resignation” as workers are quitting their jobs at record-high rates. One of the reasons for this is that people are changing their definitions of what they consider a healthy work-life balance and what they want in a company culture, explained Amanda Ma, CEO of Innovate Marketing Group (Wingo, 2021).

There is no perfect way of solving this problem. Employers need to work with their employees to figure out what necessary changes need to be made to create a more inclusive workplace for their individual business. No person is created equal, just like no business is created equal. While one solution may work for one person and business, the same solution may not work for another.

The first step for almost every small business is to simply survey their employees. Find out what is working for them, as well as what isn’t working. From there, changes can be made.

Widen your Online Footprint

With ever-changing regulations and mandates, small business owners need to be able to adapt. As a result, their business can continue to grow and flourish as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phil Strazzulla, founder of Select Software Reviews, explained that small businesses must adapt and be “practical” when it comes to sales, as consumers continue to favor online and mobile shopping (Wingo, 2021).

Regardless as to whether your small business sells goods or services, the digital age is upon us and the vast majority of people use the Internet to shop. Widening your business’s online presence is essential to succeed in today’s society.

Get Creative!

In conjunction with widening one’s online footprint, entrepreneurs should

try to think more outside the box. Networking with other business owners is a great place to start. Everyone has different perceptions and ideas to bring to the table, whether you agree or disagree with them.

By using a co-working space like Desk Refuge, businesses can continue to complete their daily tasks while networking with others. Growing your small business may just need a simple tweak in marketing campaigns or communication with customers. No idea is too big or too small, they can all help you grow.

Prepare for Potential Challenges

When you’re starting any kind of business, challenges are inevitable. By preparing for these challenges, you will be better equipped to handle them when they arise.

It’s tempting to try to do everything if you’re a small business owner, and long hours add pressure. Fatigue, one of the most commonly overlooked small business challenges, can leave you disorganised, forgetful and cranky, not paying as much attention to clients as you should, and making mistakes.

Business owners have to pace themselves, which includes embracing strategic delegation, something that for any highly motivated individual isn’t an easy task. Start by identifying business elements that don’t require your expertise, such as mailing, and take on an assistant, even part-time, to help out – after all, it’s an investment that frees you up to do what you do best (How to Overcome the 6 Biggest Small Business Challenges).

References

How to Overcome the 6 Biggest Small Business Challenges. (n.d.). Hiveage.

https://www.hiveage.com/blog/challenges-facing-small-businesses/#

Wingo, L. (2021, December 27). 10 Small Business Growth Strategies for 2022.

https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/best-small-business-growth-strategies

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