Where Are You In Your Business Now?

Revenue isn't the only way to measure progress in your business. Sometimes progress looks like growth. But sometimes it's getting clearer about what you do, putting stronger foundations in place, increasing your visibility, or finally implementing things you've been talking about for a long time.

And accurately assessing where you are now helps you make better decisions about where you want to go next.

Earlier this year, I kept thinking about how my business wasn't growing as quickly as I had wanted. And then it hit me: this wasn't a growth year. It was a clarity year.

I hadn't decided that at the beginning of the year. I didn't sit down in January and make "clarity" my goal. It was something I realized when I stepped back and looked at what had actually happened in my business.

And a lot had happened:

• I became much clearer about my positioning.

• I simplified my offers.

• I launched a new website.

• I trademarked my core strategy/philosophy.

• I created CEO Momentum, bringing together CEO Power Planning and CEO Hour into one ongoing membership.

• I refined my content strategy.

None of those things showed up as immediate revenue growth. But I wasn't standing still. I was putting the pieces in place for growth.

What Kind of Year Are You Having?

I think we tend to look at our businesses and ask, "Did I hit my revenue goal?" And obviously, revenue matters. We're running businesses. But I don't think it's the only way to measure whether we're making progress.

Businesses go through different kinds of years -  and different kinds of quarters. I've been thinking about them as clarity, foundation, visibility, implementation, rebuilding, and growth. And there's value in all of them.

You don't get bonus points for making every quarter a growth quarter. Sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is focus on clarity, foundation, or implementation so you're actually ready to grow later.

And I think this is especially important for women business owners because, for many of us, the goal isn't necessarily to build the biggest business possible. We're trying to build sustainable businesses that fit the lives we want.

So think about your own business for a minute. What kind of year have you actually been having?

Maybe the revenue hasn't grown as quickly as you'd hoped, but you've finally gotten clear on your offers. Or you've spent the year increasing your visibility, putting better systems and processes in place, or finally implementing things you've been talking about for a long time. You may even be rebuilding.

The point isn't to put a label on your year just for the sake of it. It's to look honestly at where you are now so you can make a thoughtful decision about what comes next.

Your next quarter might really be about growth. Or you might realize there’s still foundational work to do. You need to implement what you've already created. You want to become more visible. There isn't a right answer. But you have to accurately assess where you are now before you can decide where you want to go next.

For me, I've now moved smack into a growth quarter. My focus is on business development, and I can feel the momentum. But I wouldn't be here if I hadn't spent the time doing the other work first.

The point isn't that growth doesn't matter. It's that clarity came first. Because I spent the time getting clear, now I know exactly where I want to focus my energy.

And that's really what I want you to think about: Where are you now? What kind of year - or quarter - are you having? And based on that, what do you want to focus on next?

CEO Power Planning gives you dedicated time to do exactly that: reflect on where you are now, decide what you want to focus on next, and create a plan you can confidently follow through on.

Join us for the next CEO Power Planning session in September.