Goodbye 2018. Hello 2019. My tips to help you have your best year ever in practice!

Today is the last day of 2018 and I hope that you have had some time since Christmas to reflect on the year that was, to afford yourself some time out to relax, recharge and reset and in this present moment, you are ready to focus on the next twelve months ahead.

If you haven’t had time to reflect yet, perhaps you would like to go through this “closing ceremony” type exercise I do, where I recall and celebrate my achievements and mull over the things that have tested me in both my business and personal life? There are lessons to be learnt from the good and the not so good and there’s a good chance these lessons will help you set your 2019 path.

Complete these statements as part of your “2018 closing ceremony”.

1. My proudest achievements in 2018 were ………………….…….
2. I could build on these achievements for even greater success in 2019 by ………………….…….
3. During 2018, I was challenged and tested by ………………….…….
4. The lessons I learnt from these challenges were ………………….…….
5. In order to overcome or mitigate these challenges in 2019, I could ………………….…….

And now, it’s time to turn your attention and focus on the next twelve months by articulating your 2019 Goals and Plan. 

This year in my presentations, my workshops and in my coaching, I have been sharing my blueprint for a successful, profitable, rewarding and balanced accounting practice which is based on the practice I founded and owned for 18 years.

The five elements I advocate that you become crystal clear on are:

• what your vision is for your practice and your life
• who your ideal client is
• what your ideal service offering and pricing is
• what your ideal team and practice culture is
• what your ideal technology suite is for your practice and your clients’ businesses

Complete the following statements or pick the ones that resonate with you to give you clarity and direction.

VISION

1. I want my 2019 salary to be $ ………………….…….
2. I want my 2019 practice turnover to be $ ………………….…….
3. I want my 2019 practice profit to be $ ………………….…….
4. I want my 2019 work hours and days to be ………………….…….

CLIENTS

1. The demographics of my ideal client in 2019 are ………………….…….
2. The values of my ideal client in 2019 are ………………….…….
3. The behaviours of my ideal client in 2019 are ………………….…….

SERVICES

1. The services I want to offer in 2019 are ………………….…….
2. The services I want to phase out in 2019 are ………………….…….
3. The services I could outsource in 2019 are ………………….…….
4. My standard fees in 2019 are as follows ………………….…….
5. The processes I will systemise and standardise in 2019 are as follows ………………….…….

TEAM AND CULTURE

1. The non negotiable attributes of all my staff members in 2019 are ………………….…….
2. I will create a positive workflow culture in 2019 by  ………………….…….
3. I have clearly defined expectations and KPI’s for all staff members in 2019 and these have been communicated as followed ………………….…….

TECHNOLOGY

1. The technology (eg software, hardware, apps) that will be adopted and embraced by my practice in 2019 will be ………………….…….
2. The technology (eg software, hardware, apps) that will be adopted and embraced by my staff members in 2019 are ………………….…….
3. The technology (eg software, hardware, apps) that will be adopted and embraced by my clients in 2019 are  ………………….…….

These statements can now be used to articulate a 2019 Plan that is unique to what you want from your practice and your life. 

Some changes may happen when you open your office doors in a week or so, some changes may be delayed until 1 July and some will happen progressively over the next 12 months. Be kind to yourself and implement change when it feels right for you and your practice. 

You may also need to spend some time gathering practice data and analysing it to ensure you feel comfortable and convicted with a change. From my coaching experiences this year, when I suggested some new pricing schedules or new processes, a common response from clients was one of fear and uncertainty, which I fully expect. So we set about gathering data and analysing it and the overwhelming response has been, “OMG. Yes I’m definitely making that change straight away” and “I can’t believe what those numbers are saying. How did I not see this? That means I have missed out on $xxxx”.

So, what are you waiting for? Just remember, it is the uniqueness of what you have to offer and the way you offer it, that will set you apart from other practices.

Wishing you a most rewarding and profitable 2019 and I’m giving you permission to start doing business and life YOUR WAY!

If you’re after support, plug and play solutions that work and accountability in 2019, send me an email [email protected] telling me a little bit about yourself and your practice and I’ll get in touch with you over the next two weeks for a chat to see if we’re a good fit for each other.