5 Personal & Business New Year Resolutions

Crikey - Jan 5th already!!

I have a couple of resolutions I need to stick to, for my business and personal life, so I’ll post them here as a reference to stick to.

Business

1. Target the local market

I’ve always believed the local market held a lot more business potential, but I’ve roundly failed to market to it. A big reason is moving towns twice in two years, but also feeling bogged down in work. Now I feel my head is above water, I must focus time for local marketing.

2. Experiment with TV production

Now I’m settled, I need to hook up with media course students, and try to build a crew I can develop for TV production work. I figure on simply projects for YouTube, then see what potential we can develop for IPTV and local TV markets. I have a long-term goal of producing a comedy series, plus maybe some low-budget but effective science fiction.

3. Expand my services

There’s far too much reliance on SEO for my main business income. The pace of industry change makes it a volatile place to hedge long-term business plans. I need to focus on general business consultancy for getting companies online, as well as delivering additional web development and web hosting services, as well as core marketing and advertising services. I need to consider taking on staff to help with the expansion, and the eventual possibility of rented offices away from home.

4. Expand my businesses

I need to look at setting up additional businesses in additional sectors, to help create a wider foundation for long-term business success. I need to push myself into financial services options, and explore dropshipping/wholesaling potential properly as separate businesses. I also want to turn myself from being a web publisher to an online Publisher with capital P, especially in key niche markets.

5. Better discipline

I need to be better disciplined with time management - ensure I push myself more on work targets, and set time aside for better integration with the internet, such as get a feed reader again. I also need to make sure I’m less reserved and more open in general business issues, and focus on transparency where required.

Personal

1. More family time

I need to set aside more quality time with my family. That means ensuring work is finished at 7pm each day, and after the kids go to bed, do general surfing until 9pm. Then it’s quality time with my girlfriend.

2. More social time

Working from home can be lonely, especially as I’ve moved to a completely new area where I know no one. I need time to develop “me” more, especially in social situations. I’m eyeing up joining a drama group again, and some highland music venues in Inverness for nights out. Also, would like to see if I can set aside time to learn to fly.

3. More self-expression

I should buy more clothes that express me, and wear them even when not going out. I should explore new music and artists, and use it all even at work, to help me feel like an individual with an individual sense of self-expression. See if I don’t get to Camden market this year to stock up.

4. More non-work projects

I came to the web publishes sites on personal interests, with low monetisation potential. I should spend more time developing additional interest sites on the same principle, so that the internet isn’t simply work, but also fun.

5. Go on holiday

I’ve never been out of the UK for a holiday. I need to change that. A couple of conferences over 2007 could be a good way to mix business and pleasure, with Seattle and Italy on the map for that. I should also take my family on a dream trip to Egypt while I have the cash - if my business ever dies, I don’t want to regret what I could have done when I could.