The start of the New Year couldn’t be a more perfect time to establish ways to improve your business (and yourself) moving forward. Traditional ways to invest in your business usually include a lot of money, a lot of work and a lot of time. Hence, they can often feel daunting and fall by the wayside.
If you’re looking for creative ways to invest in your business in 2020 and ultimately have your most successful year yet, consider one of these four uncommon practices:
Attend a business conference
Yes, they seem cheesy — yes, they often include a lot of self-reflection — yes, they often work! There’s a reason why millions of people have attended conferences — they light a fire inside us and remind us why we are here and what we want to accomplish. Conferences offer the perfect outlet to reinvigorate and motivate. Just remember to make sure that whatever tools you gain from attending a conference, you keep and maintain those tools moving forward. The power of attending a conference shouldn’t fade when you unpack your bags and arrive back home.
Go off-site
Sometimes a change of scenery can change everything. Many successful businesses make it a point to take quarterly, sometimes even monthly, off-site meetings. Meeting in a new setting shakes things up. It creates the sensation of being “off the clock” while still spending time with co-workers. When you plan an off-site, make sure to write an agenda that maps out goals you’d like you and your team to accomplish while gathering. This list should serve as your roadmap for what you’d like to accomplish in the New Year.
Get an outsider’s opinion of your business
It’s true — sometimes you can be “too close” to your craft to see its flaws. Getting an outside opinion — one that you respect — to assess your business can be so powerful. It can even reveal areas where you’re doing well, so you can better see what your customers and audience want to see more of in 2020.
Sweat with your employees
Alight, hear us out on this one. Hitting the gym with your coworkers not only benefits your business, but it also benefits YOU! Working out together builds comradery, respect, and a mutual hobby that binds people together. Working out also has great power to spark creativity and allow you to see problems, hurdles, in a new light. You’ll be surprised how many times you go to the gym with a problem jostling in your mind, and you leave with a solution. It’s a great way to invest in your business and yourself!