January 5, 2017, by The Ingenuity Lab

New Year, New You, New Goals

“There’s so much stacked against you as an entrepreneur that you just have to will yourself to the next phase” – Neil Kraft

Welcome to 2017! Now is the perfect time for reflecting on 2016’s achievements and considering your goals for the coming 12 months. It’s a chance to make a fresh start, and improve you and your business.

Inspired by Forbes, here are our top resolutions for every entrepreneur to follow…

Break down your goals

What is it you want to achieve? Are you looking to win Ingenuity17‘s £100,000+ prize fund? Do you want to have a viable financial plan? Are you interested in creating a marketing strategy?

The prospect of developing all of this can seem daunting on your first day back at work after the Christmas break. Especially if you’re suffering from the post-Christmas blues! Take control of your goals by writing down 90-day goals this month, and revisit them every three months.

Try and fit your key goals onto one page, and separate them into three columns: one for one month goals; one for three month goals; and one for six month goals. Prioritise them in order of their importance to ensure you maintain your focus over the coming months.

Make things happen

Facing an unnerving obstacle? Instead of making excuses as to why you can’t overcome the obstacle, work out what you can do differently to make sure you do break down the barrier. Remember, if Plan A doesn’t work, there’s always a Plan B. If that doesn’t work, there’s 24 more letters in the alphabet – so don’t get too down about it!

The mentoring available at the Ingenuity17 Conference is a fantastic opportunity to discuss what you need the most help with, and hear invaluable, bespoke advice from an industry leading entrepreneur. Applying to Ingenuity17 gives you access to the Conference and the mentors that will be there, and won’t cost you a penny.

Value your personal wellbeing

As a business owner, it’s easy to invest all your time into developing your business and your staff. But investing in your own physical, emotional and spiritual health is just as important.

Take note of what food and drinks you are putting into your body. Make sure you are taking time each day to exercise – whether that’s a spot of desk yoga, or a post-work fitness class – and channel the endorphin into making you and your business great.

If you are Nottingham based and want to develop more healthy eating habits, make sure you check out Nutri2Go, SwapMeat and HungryPanda – three fantastic food businesses based at The Ingenuity Lab.

Find your Yoda

Who can encourage you to try? Who can guide and support you to help you realise your entrepreneurial ambition? Mentors can give invaluable advice, no matter which direction or stage of development you are at.

Mentors are available for Ingenuity Lab members and can offer advice across a range of aspects, including financial, legal, marketing, sales and HR. Becoming a venture member gives you access to 1-2-1 monthly mentoring sessions, to help you keep track of your entrepreneurial goals and have your own Yoda to help you develop your business.

If our resolutions have inspired you, why not #IgniteTheMind this year, and apply to Ingenuity17. It is the biggest student entrepreneurship competition in the UK, and is a fantastic opportunity to maintain your resolutions and develop your business idea into a successful and sustainable reality. 

And remember, if you are feeling like the odds are against you this year, will yourself into the next phase. 

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