Siobhan Says: Planning for Year-End Success (For Every Business Stage)
No matter where you are in your business journey, you can finish this year strong. Here’s a checklist for what to do based on where you are in your business life cycle.
If You’re Just Starting Out (0-6 months):
Your Year-End Check:
- How much money came in vs. went out each month?
- What surprised you most about your expenses?
- Which customers/clients felt like the best fit?
Your Year-End Focus:
- Protect: Your energy and core offering
- What this means: Keep doing what’s working without burning out
- Real examples: Your best-selling service, your most reliable income source, your personal work-life balance
- Optimize: One system that’s causing you stress (maybe invoicing or expense tracking)
- What this means: Make one thing easier or more efficient
- Real examples: Switch from paper receipts to a phone app, set up automatic invoice reminders, create a simple expense spreadsheet
- Explore: One new way to reach customers
- What this means: Try something small and new without major investment
- Real examples: Post on a new social media platform, ask for one referral, attend one networking event
Can’t do this yet? We can help! Our CFO Bootcamp starts with the absolute basics – like setting up a simple system to track money in and money out. No shame, just support.
If You’re Growing (6 months – 2 years):
Your Year-End Check:
- Which months were your strongest? What made them different?
- Where did you spend money that didn’t pay off?
- What patterns do you see in your customer behavior?
Your Year-End Focus:
- Protect: Your profitable services and best customers
- What this means: Don’t mess with what’s making you money
- Real examples: Your signature service, repeat clients who pay on time, your most effective marketing channel
- Optimize: Your pricing or your busiest processes
- What this means: Make your daily work smoother or more profitable
- Real examples: Raise prices on your most popular service, create templates for common tasks, batch similar work together
- Explore: One partnership or marketing channel
- What this means: Test one new way to grow without major risk
- Real examples: Partner with a complementary business, try Facebook ads with a small budget, speak at one local event
Feeling overwhelmed by the numbers? Let’s talk! Our 1:1 coaching can help you make sense of what you have and create simple systems that work.
If You’re Established (2+ years):
Your Year-End Check:
- How does this year compare to last year, and why?
- What investments paid off? What didn’t?
- Where are the bottlenecks limiting your growth?
Your Year-End Focus:
- Protect: Your profit margins and key team members
- What this means: Guard what keeps your business healthy and stable
- Real examples: Your most profitable client contracts, your best employees, your core business model
- Optimize: Systems that could free up your time
- What this means: Automate or delegate tasks that eat up your day
- Real examples: Use scheduling software instead of phone tag, hire a virtual assistant for admin tasks, implement project management tools
- Explore: Strategic opportunities for 2026
- What this means: Invest in growth that aligns with your long-term vision
- Real examples: Launch a new service line, expand to a new location, develop a signature program
Ready to think like a CFO? Join us! Our advanced workshops help you use your data to make strategic decisions with confidence.
No Matter What Stage of Business – Start Here:
- Give yourself 30 minutes to look at your money situation
- Pick ONE thing to improve before January
- Ask for help – whether that’s our free coaching, a fellow business owner, or a trusted advisor
Remember: Every successful business owner started where you are. The goal isn’t perfection – it’s progress.
- Need Support Getting Started?
- Free 1:1 Coaching: DNEP’s accounting students provide personalized help to build systems that work for YOUR business at no cost to you
- CFO Bootcamp Workshops: From basic bookkeeping to strategic planning
- Peer Connections: Meet other Detroit entrepreneurs on similar journeys
