In my last column, I talked about how you could show your love for agriculture with different ways you can volunteer in the community. Since we’re staring down the 12-month 2014 road, I’d like to talk about planning for success with any farm or business.[emember_protected custom_msg=”Click here and register now to read the rest of the article!”]
When I come into a New Year, there are four things I consider when I’m mapping out our business plans for the coming months:
- • First, it’s time to review! Whether you measure your success by month-to-month, season-to-season, or client-to-client— it’s time to look back and determine what your business does best and expand upon it. As a business owner or manager, this is the time for you to do a self-evaluation of you and your key contributors and be honest about what needs to be improved upon within your organization.
- • Once you’re done evaluating last year, it’s time to remove wasteful use of energies. As human beings we only have “so much gas in the tank” each day. Determine what use of time and energy results in the best outcomes and expand upon those; conversely, discover what items are spent an inordinate amount of time on that is least productive and eliminate those tasks as much as you can.
- • Next, make plans to expand on the things and tasks that work well. How can you diversify or grow your business in the most effective way that serves existing clients best and endears your company to prospective clients.
- • Last, but certainly not least, listen to what others are saying about your business. Your customers, clients, and staff can provide essential feedback in order for you to make your business a more efficient, well-oiled machine.
CREDITS
column by BAXTER TROUTMAN
BIO: Baxter Troutman is founder and chief executive officer of Labor Solutions, a staffing company with offices in Bartow, Winter Haven, Lake Wales, and Arcadia. A citrus grower who served in the Florida House of Representatives, Troutman understands the challenges and concerns of today’s farmer. [/emember_protected]
