Well, the year has flown by, and it’s time to look back and take stock of 2011 and plan my goals for 2012. This year, I have been really busy working on some great projects with some great clients.
The Thurrock Network Group I run is going really well. It is a platform for local businesses to meet and grow their businesses and deal with local issues. I am so pleased with the numbers that continue to turn up on a monthly basis. We always get new businesses that complement the existing members.
We all know how difficult it is to start a new business, and so attending a free networking group is the best way to get your name out there and meet with other businesses. Our group has a wealth of experience, and I like to think I am doing my bit to help the new start-ups. If I have to pick one achievement from the year, then being the organiser of the group and taking it into its third year is definitely up there! Thank you for everybody’s support.
Now is the time to look back over the year and make 5 New Year Resolutions for 2012.
Learn from 2011
As we all know, we should learn from our mistakes. Any mistake can be turned into a positive. I make notes and then think about ways to improve things so it can’t happen again. We don’t beat ourselves up if things have gone wrong, and we always give ourselves a pat on the back when we’ve achieved great results. As long as we know we have done everything to the best of our ability, then that is all that matters. We pride ourselves on having great working relationships with all of our clients and want to keep this up!
Keep building the Thurrock Network Group
I am so proud of this group and the number of members we have. The group is growing stronger and stronger, and I am delighted with this. I want to keep this going. Getting new businesses together every month and helping as many local companies do business with each other is great. We are establishing a good relationship with the local council, which recognises that local business is the lifeblood of the area, and I want to build on this so all local companies benefit from being part of the group. As a collective, all members of the Thurrock Network Group have a very, very loud voice!
Give ourselves a treat
We shouldn’t forget to say well-done when we’ve done a good job. Sometimes we concentrate on pleasing our clients too much and forget to say well done to ourselves. When we’ve done something we’re proud of, we will shout about it!
Work on the challenging projects too!
Ok, so we’ve all had projects that fit into the “challenging” category, but let’s turn it into a positive and learn from the situation. Take reflection on certain projects and think about how best to improve on them. We will remember to ask lots of questions and get clarity before starting a project. If clients don’t know what they want, we’ll guide them. Remember that we have experience and expertise in our field (and if clients insist on thinking they know what works well, we should gently tell them otherwise!). We aim to stay firm, tough, but gentle.
Keep learning and step outside our comfort zone
There are always so many things to learn on a daily basis. It is so easy to stick with our comfort zone, but sometimes it’s good to step outside of it and push the boundaries. Try things we wouldn’t normally do. We shall experiment with new colour schemes, play around with new fonts, and learn new skills and techniques.
So, after a successful 2011, let’s look forward to a busy and profitable 2012!
