Can y’all believe that 2014 is basically over? In a few short days, Christmas will be upon us and then just a few sleeps after that it’s New Years! I feel as though I’ve finally gotten into a comfortable groove with 2014 and, of course, it’s already time to prep for tax season, set big goals and gear up for a brand new year. While there’s merit that lies in personal resolutions and setting lofty goals for yourself, it’s just as important to prepare your business for a fresh start. One of my favorite ways to prepare the studio for a new calendar is by giving myself an informal year-end review. This enables me to examine the highs and lows of the past year, as well as consider opportunities for organic growth and big dreaming for a truly productive new year. I find that by giving my business a clear direction before diving aimlessly into 12 fresh new months, I’m better prepared for success and productivity!

While some boss ladies have this process down to a science, I like to use my year-end review sessions as a springboard for reflection and goal setting in a laid-back environment. Armon and I will usually go out to brunch or make a big spread at home, sit down to a table full of our favorite treats and full coffee mugs and talk over what last year looked like and what the year to come might have in store. There’s a lot of thinking out loud, journaling and making lists (oh, my favorite!).

Before I can move into 2015 with a clear focus, I find it crucial to understand what made 2014 so unique. To do this to the best of my ability, I make two lists: what worked well in 2014 and what didn’t work at all. I jot down examples of business triumphs, marketing techniques that saw an increase in sales, networking connections that led to new opportunities, etc. In the negative column, I am sure to include examples of when giving in to overwork or overwhelm hindered me, as well as when poor planning held back the business. You can include practical examples, overarching themes or whatever you feel best exemplifies the true highs and lows of the year.

Once I’ve written these lists out, I go back and highlight any patterns I see, making sure that I pay attention to any connections between successes or failures from the past year. In order to move forward in a positive direction, I believe it’s important to understand the mistakes I made in business so I can do my best to avoid them in future.

Now it’s time to put on your dreaming cap! After examining what did work, what didn’t work and how these themes might be connected, I like to point my sights toward the year to come. I write down business goals for areas like marketing, networking, finance, administrative tasks and professional education. Feel free to get as specific as you like with these! I love having a tangible list of specific, realistic goals that I made at the beginning of the year to review as the year goes by and cross off items I’ve accomplished. (If you need help on setting solid goals, this post may be helpful!)

I’ve found that setting big goals and writing down grand dreams naturally leads to this next part: what I want more of in the New Year. For my business, I’ll write down overarching themes and mantras that I truly want to incorporate into 2015. This can look like more balance, more authentic networking, more delegating to others so I can have a vacation… you get the idea! I like to leave the financial aspect to the business goal setting portion of the year-end review, leaving this time for things that nurture your little boss lady soul. While it’s crucial to ensure the business side of things are in working order, it’s also so necessary to make sure you’re tending to facets of your business that are often pushed to the side like building relationships, making time for self-care, and more.

And finally, I’ll make a list of housekeeping items that need to be accomplished like renewing web hosting contracts, updating any legal documents, budgeting for taxes, renewing any existing business licenses, etc. You’d be amazed at how many services we register for need to be renewed annually, so do yourself a favor and keep track of them all before you’re suddenly stranded without a web hosting service. These are the nuts and bolts that ensure we can do business well and legally!

I hope this loose structure serves as a springboard for your own year-end review. Like I said, I choose to let this time be fairly open-ended and a time for creativity to run rampant. I’ve found that some of my best and biggest dreams come to me when I’m not over thinking how I should be doing a corporate year-end review. The important thing is to fully understand how far you’ve come in the past year and how you can use that momentum to propel you into a highly focused and productive 2015. You can do it, friend! I can’t wait to see what big things lie ahead for you.