Boldly Going Forward


Weiss Advice Issue: 172, January, 2017

My suggestions for your serious consideration in this new year:

  • Stop worrying about saving pennies and focus on making dollars.
  • Review every existing client and ask what additional value you can provide to generate incremental business.
  • Call one person (at least) five days a week and ask for two names of prospective clients.
  • Revisit all past clients (no business within the past year) and introduce new value to revive business.
  • Schedule two networking events per month.
  • Schedule three events during they year at which you can mix your best clients, second-best clients, and prospects.
  • Limit yourself to no more than two hours a week on “administrative” work. Stop worrying about additional computer backups or software upgrades that provide no real value.
  • Examine your business model and reduce your labour by at least 20%.
  • Outsource “busy work”: You shouldn’t be doing your own books, your own taxes, your own payroll, your own printing, etc.
  • Determine if your financial and legal support is appropriate for your growing business, or is just a habit from an earlier time, no longer suited for you.
  • Create a plan to maximize retirement and tax-sheltered income and investments.
  • Reduce your indebtedness (with the exception of mortgage and car payments) to zero by year-end.
  • Plan quality, discretionary, personal time weekly that you do not allow to be used for client work, in addition to working around time set for three vacations.
  • Identify a coach who can help you get through your roadblocks, see what you don’t see, and overcome self-limiting beliefs.
  • Enjoy yourself thoroughly without feeling guilty in the least.