“Be super in 2006: 10 steps to have a banner year”

Nashville Business Journal, by Geert De Lombaerde, December 30, 2005

As business owners and leaders, you constantly are evaluating your companies' direction and opportunities, balancing on the razor's edge between the map room and the trenches.
In doing so, it's easy to get lost in a string of meetings and lunches or get ensnared by today's crisis. But when was the last time you really took measure of where you're headed and how you can best get there?

If it's time to take the long view, have a look at these 10 simple steps that can help you grow your company. Some will help you work on your business, others will help you work in your business.

We hope you find them useful starting points. Success and happy New Year.
                                                                                                                                               
- Geert De Lombaerde, editor

Know your numbers

The calendar change represents an ideal time to assess your performance and make adjustments.

But before you draw up, amend or revamp a strategic plan, take a hard look at your numbers, says Laura Campbell, president and CEO of consulting firm Laura Campbell & Associates.

Specifically, look at growing revenue, but more important, increasing profitability.
"Companies need to make sure they're not just growing revenue for the sake of growing revenue. The growth should be contributing to a healthy, more profitable company," Campbell says.

That means you need to know which levers to pull to grow your business. Is Product A more profitable to make and market than Product B? Which sales channel is the most effective at converting leads? How do you shift resources to boost sales and profits? If you can't quickly answer those questions, you need to do some homework.