End-of-Year Questions To Help Scale Your Small Business in 2023

2023 is only a few short weeks away! And if you’re like us, you’re ready to wind down for the year.

Many businesses take a well-deserved breather before launching into the New Year - either for a couple of weeks or just a few days.

If you’re one of our clients, you’ll know that we’ve booked our annual Holiday Shutdown from December 19th to January 2nd. This break allows our staff some time to spend with their loved ones over the holiday season. And we are so grateful for the opportunity to do so!

Whether you’re planning a holiday breather or readying your business to transition right into the New Year, there’s something you need to do first.

Reflect on your 2022 business year!

Before you close out for the year, take inventory of yourself, your team and your business. This helps you appreciate all you’ve gone through, learn from your mistakes and move forward in the right direction!

We’ve listed 10 year-end questions below to help you reflect on the year before launching into 2023!

What are some of your 2022 business accomplishments?

When the New Year comes around, many business owners immediately start thinking ahead.

New goals. New dreams. New accomplishments.

And while it’s important to look ahead to all that you hope to achieve, it’s also crucial to look behind you at all you’ve already accomplished.

What are some things you’ve accomplished in the last year? These could be things on your list of 2022 business goals. Or it could be something else entirely!

The key here is to not compare.

Just make a list of the things that have helped move your business forward!

We’ve included a list of examples below to help give you some ideas:

• I completed 5 large-scale projects without any setbacks.
• I received lots of positive feedback from happy customers.
• I didn’t surpass my spending goal.
• I onboarded 7 new clients.
• I expanded my team with 2 new hires.
• I learned a new skill.
• I hired an affordable digital marketing company.
• I took my vacation time when I needed it.

Nothing is off the table here! Just keep listing everything you can think of - big or small!

How did you implement or improve your work/life balance?

Healthy work/life balance is something our team at OSM has had to really focus on this year.

We switched entirely to remote work almost a year ago and have loved the flexibility it brought! But with the work-from-home adjustment has come the difficulties of separating our personal lives from our work lives.

While it has given us more time with our families, it can be hard to leave the computer at the end of the day and focus solely on our personal lives.

Some of the ways our team has implemented a healthy work/life balance while working from home include:

• Using a separate work laptop.
• Setting aside specific times in the day for meetings.
• Avoiding work emails and messages after hours.
• Creating routines around their family’s schedule.
• Clearly communicating their working hours with their family.
• Limiting work discussions at home.
• Taking lunch breaks away from their work devices.

All these small changes can drastically help improve the work/life balance at home.

Have you taken steps to improve your work/life balance? Have they worked well for you, your family and your business?

If so, keep going! But if not, try implementing some of the above tactics! Keep in mind they may not be practical or applicable to everyone. So be sure to pick and choose what strategies work best for you!

Did you get support when you needed it?

How many roles are you juggling right now? Social Media Coordinator, SEO Specialist, Financial Advisor, Accountant?

As business owners, it’s only natural for us to want to take the lead. But there’s power in knowing when we need more support.

The three most practical ways of getting support are:

1. Expanding your team.
2. Learning how to delegate effectively.
3. Investing in a business coach.

Each of these strategies plays a role in supporting you as the business owner.

Let’s face it, as business owners, we can easily get sucked into working IN our businesses. But once that happens, the growth of our company is no longer the priority.

Getting the support we need can help reduce our workload, ensure we’re moving in the right direction and free up our time! So we can keep focusing on growing our business rather than just keeping it afloat.

Did you get support when you needed it this past year? Or were there some areas that you tried to carry all the weight yourself?

What worked well? What didn’t?

At the beginning of 2022, you probably came up with a series of business goals you wanted to achieve by the end of the year. Maybe they applied to finances, time management or performance.

Then, over the year, you’ve implemented numerous strategies to help you achieve those goals.

When looking back over the year, can you identify some of the goals and strategies that worked well for you? And which didn’t?

For example, maybe you made a goal of onboarding 10 new clients in 2022.

If you succeeded, was your team able to handle the additional workload?

If you didn't succeed then what was holding you back?

Knowing what works for you and your team can help you create realistic future goals.

What is your biggest disappointment?

This question isn’t meant to be a downer or to make you feel guilty. It's to help you reflect on the previous year from an honest, productive perspective.

Is there anything you need to forgive yourself for in the past year? Whether that be a mistake or something you weren’t able to achieve?

Mistakes are normal. And as a business owner, the ones you made this year probably won’t be your last. These mistakes or unexpected turns of events are how we grow as flexible, problem-solving business owners!!

In the words of Thomas Edison,

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

Forgiving yourself for any of the disappointments in 2022 can put you in a better mental mindset for the new year!

What are you most proud of?

This question can apply to any number of things - like an award or even a personal sense of accomplishment.

We can truly be our own worst critics, which is why it’s vital for us to learn how to appreciate ourselves.

Is there a moment in the past year that made you particularly proud? Give yourself some credit for it! You deserve to appreciate these moments!

What advice would you give yourself at the beginning of 2022 after seeing how the year actually played out?

This one is a doozie, but it’s incredibly impactful!

Reflecting on the previous year gives you a great vantage point. You can now see things from the big picture perspective rather than bit by bit.

Would you remind yourself to be more optimistic?

To have more faith in your team?

To spend more time with your family?

To give yourself more grace?

Try to apply the advice you would have given yourself in 2022 to this year! This bigger-picture perspective is a great way to enter 2023.

A Time To Look Back And a Time To Look Forward

Looking back with the wisdom of today gives you a valuable perspective for tomorrow!

Once you’ve had a chance to look back at the incredible moments of 2022, you can move forward into the fresh, open canvas of 2023!

What will this year have in store for you?

Festive Web Marketing Ideas For Your Small Business This Christmas!

It’s time to deck the halls! Or, in this case, your web marketing platforms!

As a small business, it’s easy to think you’re “too small” to go big during the holiday season. After all, most companies go all out with festive decor, events and sales. And those large-scale businesses have more space, money and time to make something extravagant come to life. I’m 

Is it possible for a small business to capture shoppers’ attention even amid the holiday buzz?

Of course! And you don’t need a huge budget or a massive space to make that happen.

In this article, we help small business owners create their winter wonderland - online!

Ready to deck your small business in some holiday fun? Let’s start by creating your Christmas web marketing strategy!

Why Invest In Holiday Marketing?

If you own a business, you know how important it is to both,

1. Bring a unique, creative spark to the market, and
2. Stay on trend with your audience.

It’s why you’ve invested time and effort into learning new platforms and creating one-of-a-kind content! It’s also the reason you installed TikTok, created your first Real and started blogging.

And, in all honesty, it’s the reason you’re here, reading this article, too!

You want to learn HOW to tell your story - how to put yourself out there, engage in the 2022 marketing era and make your mark.

Well, you’re on the right track!

Holiday marketing is not a new concept, as you well know. But staying in tune with your audience and creating content that speaks directly to them in each season? That’s never a stagnant thing to begin with!

Your audience is constantly looking for fresh ideas, new sales and an incredible shopping experience.

And what better time to do that, than at Christmas time?

During the holiday season, shoppers are on the hunt for more than the perfect gift. They’re looking for the best deals, bonuses and experiences. All in hopes of making their Christmas season PERFECT.

This tension to create the perfect Christmas experience is one of the main reasons why holiday web marketing is so effective.

Demand. Urgency. And a willingness to buy.

Customers aren’t simply window-shopping or leaving empty carts in your e-commerce platform anymore. Their buying behaviour has switched from passive to active - increasing their urgency and their willingness to buy.

This increase in demand presents you with the perfect opportunity! The opportunity to create new, holiday-themed content that catches your consumers’ eye.

Benefits of Holiday Marketing

• Increased Brand Awareness
• Creative Opportunity
• Business Growth
• Product Growth
• Increased Reach
• Increased Engagement
• Increased Sales
• Increased Website Traffic
• Increased Brand Awareness
• Improved Retention of Existing Customers

So get creative this holiday season with your holiday marketing!

Creating Your Christmas Web Marketing Strategy

Before you start throwing tinsel around, you need a plan of action. Or, to be more precise, a Christmas web marketing strategy.

Grab a scrap piece of wrapping paper and your jolliest pen - it’s time to start planning!

Start Early

There’s a reason we launched this article earlier than planned.

While the phrase, “better late than never, " sometimes works, we don’t recommend it as a philosophy for your holiday marketing.

We wanted to get this information to you as early in the season as possible! So you have the time you need to collect your resources, get a plan in motion and start executing - before the holiday buzz hits.

And, to be honest, it’s already begun!

The 2021 report by the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) stated that 30% of Canadians planned to start Christmas shopping in late October. And 36% said they planned to begin in early November. 

Rumour has it, this year is no different!

With stats like that, it’s crucial to have your holiday marketing ready to go as early as possible!

Set Your Goals

What are your business goals this holiday season? While many businesses go for the typical increase in sales or foot traffic, your goals might look different.

• Improved Brand Recognition
• Increased Reach
• Improved Brand Reputation
• Optimized Brand Positioning
• Increased Prospects
• Improved Customer Retention
• Optimized Customer Experience

And don’t forget! While you’re setting your goals, remember to make them SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.

Target Your Audience With Intentionality

Whether you have one target demographic or many, learning how to target your holiday marketing to them specifically is vital.

Once you decide WHO you’re targeting, you’ll be able to decide WHERE to launch your efforts and HOW to reach this demographic most effectively.

Start by asking yourself some questions:

Where are your ideal customers?

What are their consumer behaviours?

How can you best connect these answers to launch a campaign that meets your customer exactly where they are - physically and emotionally?

7 Effective Christmas Marketing Ideas For Your Small Business

Now that you have a plan, it’s time to get cracking on your holiday web marketing!

Below is a list of easy and effective Christmas marketing ideas. Some of these are tactics we’ve done ourselves, some we've worked on with clients, and others we've seen trending in the market.

Which ones speak to your business, clientele, budget and resources?

While it may not be realistic or in your best interest to do them all, we recommend selecting at least a handful of them. And there are lots of options to choose from that are both affordable and effective!

Host a Contest

Contests are a great way to generate buzz for your business, especially when prizes are involved!

Try hosting one of the below Christmas-themed contests on your social media:

• Tag campaigns
• Hashtag challenges
• Photo contests (i.e. the ugliest sweater)
• Instagram story quizzes (i.e. which Christmas Move is our favourite?)
• Video contests (i.e. best Christmas carol parody)

Offer a Giveaway

Giveaways are a fantastic web marketing tactic to use over the holiday season! They can help you reach new customers, spread the word faster and encourage a sense of community on your platform.

When planning your giveaway, we encourage you to also collaborate with other local small business owners. This can help expand your reach to other potential customers and improve your brand reputation.

Decorate Your Website

Do you run an e-commerce business with no physical store location? If so, try this!

While you have no halls, racks or storefronts to decorate, you do have your online store. And there’s no reason why you can’t spread some holiday cheer on your site!

Here are some simple holiday website decor ideas you can put in place:

• Festive graphics
• Holiday greeting popups
• Christmas web banners
• Seasonal imagery, colour scheme and language

Get Seasonal On Your Socials

And while you’re at it, get seasonal on your socials too!

Start by customizing your cover and profile photos, Then branch out into festive social content, graphics, videos etc.

Incorporate holiday jargon into your captions and ensure your content is as seasonal as you can make it.

One of the recommendations we give our clients at OSM is to book a holiday photoshoot! This can help spice up your content and give your customers something fresh and seasonal to enjoy on your account!

Offer Holiday Discounts

This one is a no-brainer. Who doesn’t LOVE a good holiday discount?

If you’re looking for a way to increase your sales, clear out your inventory or launch a new product, a discount is definitely the way to go.

Examples of Holiday Discounts:

• Early bird offers
• Gift card bonus offers
• Free shipping
• BOGO (Buy One Get One)
• Flash sales
• Bundle and save sales
• Referral discounts

Make a Christmas Gift Guide With Your Products

Want to promote new or existing products? Try highlighting these products in a Christmas Gift Guide!

Gift guides are easy to make. And they simplify your customers’ shopping experience as well!

Step 1: Title your gift guide.

Step 2: Select appropriate products.

Step 3: Include photos and links to these products.

Step 4: Launch!

Once you’ve completed the list, you can launch it on almost any platform.

We recommend sharing your gift guide on visual and shareable platforms - like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and even your blog!

Release Festive Newsletter Content

Celebrate the holiday season with your newsletter subscribers! Your newsletter can help you engage with your online community, share festive content and attract people to your website.

There are many ways for you to interact with your newsletter subscribers over the Christmas season. That could be sharing a holiday campaign, thanking your customers for their support over the year, or simply sharing a festive video of your team! 

At OSM, we typically share a final Happy Holidays message with our newsletter subscribers before we go on holiday ourselves. It’s an incredible way for our team to thank our customers for their support and wish them a Merry Christmas!

That’s a Wrap!

Which of the above Christmas web marketing ideas will you put into action?

As a small business, you have the incredible opportunity to capture your unique customers' attention. And it doesn’t require a large budget or a storefront! All you have to do is harness your creativity, make a plan and get to it.

Need help putting together your holiday marketing materials? Our team at OSM is happy to help! 

Our affordable digital marketing services help your small business gain the traction it needs - even during the holiday buzz!

To learn more about our services, contact our team at (613) 969-0626 or view our digital marketing packages here!

How To Create Integrated Campaigns That Boost Your Web Marketing Success!

As a small business owner, integrated campaigns can seem daunting and out of reach. 

After all, they involve a series of media platforms, web marketing tactics, social media efforts etc.

If multiple third-party companies run your marketing department, it can be especially challenging to organize a consistent message across your channels.

However, though the concept may seem intimidating, it’s 100% doable - even for a small business!

Launching and running a successful integrated campaign is simple as long as you have the right tools, resources, and know-how.

We break down the necessary factors of a small business integrated campaign below. Keep reading to learn how to put together your own multichannel campaign!

How Can An Integrated Campaign Boost Your Web Marketing Success?

Before we get into the 5 steps of creating a successful campaign, let’s first learn what integrated campaigns are and why they are beneficial.

What Is An Integrated Campaign?

In short, integrated campaigns present a consistent message across all your marketing communication channels.

Companies use them to reach a larger audience, increase brand awareness, build excitement etc. 

Typically, integrated campaigns use the same principles as branding, including similar visual aesthetics, wording, tone etc. This ensures a unified look across all platforms - increasing brand recognition and improving communication efforts.

Are Integrated Campaigns Beneficial?

As a small business, we understand that your time, money and resources are especially valuable and limited. And we don’t take that knowledge lightly.

In fact, that knowledge is what fuels our desire to provide these free marketing tips and tricks!

So, how can an integrated campaign boost your web marketing success? Is it really worth it?

Let’s go over some of the benefits below!

Benefits of Launching An Integrated Campaign As a Small Business:

• Boosts Revenue
• Expands Reach
• Streamlined Management
• Creates Brand Continuity
• Increases Brand Recognition
• Optimizes Your Marketing Budget
• Builds Excitement
• Improves Brand Communication
• Multiple Connection Opportunities
• Cost Savings
• Keeps Your Brand Top of Mind
• Builds Trust

Create Your Own Multichannel Campaign As a Small Business

Now that you know what integrated campaigns are and how they benefit small businesses, let’s learn how to create one!

Step 1: Get Everyone On The Same Page

The first and most important step is to get everyone on the same page.

As a small business owner, you likely have multiple companies/freelancers making up your team. You have a company for your email campaigns, another for your social media coordination, another for your web hosting etc.

While this can be a great way to delegate your business responsibilities, it does make campaign creation slightly harder. And it's why you must always ensure each team member is aware of the campaign scope, given the proper materials/instructions and follows through with the plan correctly.

This is how you ensure your message is consistent, clear and accurate. And that all marketing schedules properly align with your plan.

Otherwise, your social media team might understand things differently from your web marketing team, and so on. Leaving your audience with a muddled message.

So, gather your team for a quick huddle and make sure everyone is aware, involved and prepared.

Step 2: Identify Your Ideal Audience

The second step in creating your campaign is to think about your audience.

A lot of companies choose to focus on their brand messaging before selecting their target audience. But at OSM, we believe the customer always comes first.

So identifying WHO your customer is, WHAT they’re looking for, and HOW you can meet their needs has to be your top priority.

Note: It is possible to have more than one ideal target audience to focus on. That’s the benefit of a multichannel campaign! You can target a variety of people at once with the same message.

Step 3: Create Your Message

Once you’ve nailed down your target audience, it’s time to craft your message.

This message can be in the form of written content, graphics, video creation or even photography.

Campaign messaging typically surrounds a special, promotion, discount or feature. However, you can create a campaign for pretty much anything!

As your creating this message, keep in mind these 3 key factors:

• Your target audience.
• Your campaign goal(s).
• Message adaptability.

Target Audience

We already mentioned the importance of your target audience. But as you create your message, always remember to circle back and ensure your content serves their interests first.

Campaign Goal(s)

Your campaign will lack direction and purpose if it doesn't have a set goal or objective. So before you start creating your messaging, decide on your campaign goals and KPIs (key performance indicators).

A few common campaign goals include:

• Traffic growth
• Sales increase
• Brand awareness etc.

Message Adaptability

The third factor to keep in mind is how adaptable your message is.

Since an integrated campaign involves multiple channels, your messaging has to be able to adjust to each one accordingly.

For example, if you record a video podcast, what are some ways you can repurpose that content for other channels?

1. You can separate that longer video into smaller portions for posting on social media.
2. You can transcribe the podcast into a blog article as web marketing content.
3. You can even use the audio from your video to create Instagram Reel content.

Planning your content creation with this in mind will ensure you have the opportunity to share your campaign across multiple platforms.

Step 4: Strategize When and Where You Will Launch Your Campaign

Now that you have your message, it’s time to strategize where and when you will launch it. Since you’ve purposely crafted your message to be adaptable for most channels, you have lots of options to work with!

As you strategize, don't forget to circle back to step 2 and ensure you choose the best channels for your specific audience.

For example:

Is your audience browsing the internet? Or scrolling their Facebook feed?

In this case, which is more effective - Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

Understanding which is more effective and realistic, considering your messaging, can help you strategize a successful campaign placement.

Common Advertising Channels For Small Businesses:

• Web Marketing (i.e. website content, SEO, Google ads)
• Social Media
• Email Marketing
• Sales Promotions
• Events
• Packaging etc.

Once you’ve narrowed down which channels best suit your audience and messaging, the next step is to find the perfect time(s) to launch!

For this, you’ll need some insight into when your ideal audience is most active on your channels. From there, you can better estimate the best posting time for your content!

Step 5: Launch, Monitor and Measure Your Campaign

Ready to launch?

Once your campaign goes live, have your team monitor it daily. We recommend having your team on standby, ready to respond to incoming messages, inquiries, or hiccups as they come up.

Finally, the final step in your campaign journey is to measure its success. In this step, you’ll analyze your campaign results with the goals you created at the start of the process.

Did your campaign meet your goals? Why or why not?

One of the best things about a campaign is that you can use the knowledge you gained from previous results to better guide future campaigns!

Create Your Next Integrated Campaign With Our OSM Marketing Team!

Are you ready to give integrated campaigns a shot? Our web marketing team at OSM is here to put your message into action!

Our digital marketing services offer:

• Content Writing
• SEO
• Google Ads
• Facebook Ads
• Website Content
• Social Media Coordination
• And More!

Get in touch with our team at (613) 969-0626. Or connect online!

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to not miss our next blog post!

7 Genuine Steps To Business Success From a Business Owner's P.O.V.

The idea of growing your small business exponentially as fast as possible is exciting. But, in most cases, it’s also very, very difficult.

Especially if you don’t have the tools or resources to get you where you want to go.

Bet you think we just crashed and burned this article, right?

Well, that depends on how you look at it!

No, this is not a typical 10 Steps To 6-Figure Success Guide.

I’m not giving you a list of things to spend money on or fill up your schedule.

In fact, everything I talk about in this article is 100% free.

This article is about building a sturdy foundation for your business to grow on. One that withstands the unexpected. From high winds to seemingly never-ending pandemics to unflattering budget cuts.

It’s about the roots.

So, here’s the honest truth:

While I’m a big believer in business success, I'm not a fan of the typical route it takes to get there.

I don’t dream of hustling 24/7 and climbing my way up a rickety ladder to a reality that’s…to be real…exhausting at best.

That’s just not for me.

And if you’ve read this far, I’m guessing it’s probably not for you either.

Our WHY goes a lot deeper than deep-pocket goals, which means we have to root our marketing strategies in something deeper too.

Let’s camp there for a bit.

What is your business success rooted in?

In my eyes, business success is about having:

• A strong team,
• A joy for the job.
• A genuine curiosity to keep learning.
• A passionate community to lean on.
• Practical tools to get you where you need to go.
• Implementable habits that support your goal(s).

These are the things I always come back to at the end of the day. And I believe they are the life-changing "6-figure success tips” that will actually help businesses succeed in the long run.

And, if you notice, none of them has to cost a dime!

1. Build a Team That Upholds Strong Values

You can’t grow a successful business without first building a team that’s strong enough to uphold it.

That’s just fact.

But what makes a strong team?

• Defined Purpose
• Shared Trust
• Appreciation For One Another Individual Skills
• Empowerment
• And Fun!

A team with aligned values, purpose and passion is a force to be reckoned with!

2. Prioritize Your Joy For The Job.

This isn’t a popular opinion, especially in the corporate world. But I highly recommend prioritizing joy at your job.

As business owners, it’s easy for us to lose sight of the reasons we launched in the first place.

At the start, everything was exciting. Challenging. Scary. And thrilling!

But after running the business for a few years, things start to settle into a rhythm.

My advice?

Never stop doing things that bring you joy in your business. Prioritize them. Make them a part of your daily or weekly routines.

3. Create Implementable Habits

Habits are what stabilize the rungs on your ladder to success.

They are the practical, steady, dependable staircase you can take to reach your goals!

Remember in my last article when I mentioned the groundbreaking truth? That habits actually outweigh goals in the business world?

In that article, I mentioned how I actually love goals. But it's the habits we build and implement that have the bigger impact.

Our daily attitude, routines and behaviours are what create that strong foundation for our company's growth - one rung at a time!

4. Network With Heart

I love building lasting, meaningful relationships. In fact, it’s one of my favourite things about being a business owner!

The opportunity to connect with other businesses in Quinte and surrounding areas has made such a big difference in my life.

That’s why I started Shop Talk Quinte! A platform built for meaningful, intentional, authentic conversations with entrepreneurs and professionals alike!

(Pssst…if you haven’t guessed it, this is one way that I prioritize joy in my job!

To be honest with you, these conversations have taught me the real way to create a community in business.

They’ve taught me how to network with heart. And how to allow people to see the real me. And to be brave enough to share my genuine answers with them. Just as they are brave enough to share theirs with me.

Even though it’s uncomfortable (because it can be)!

This leads me to my next point…

5. Get UNcomfortable

We all have a comfort zone. And that’s not a bad thing!

Being confident and comfortable in what you do is so valuable. Especially in business!

But there’s also unique value in being simultaneously confident and UNcomfortable. Strength in knowing you have to do something and being willing to give it your best shot - regardless of the doubt creeping in.

As business owners, we’re given challenges like this almost daily.

Maybe it’s initiating a difficult but necessary conversation with another team member.

Or maybe it’s downloading TikTok and making your first video.

Whatever your UNcomfy is, I encourage you to embrace it! To get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

6. Stay Curious

This is something I encourage my whole team to do.

To stay curious. To keep learning new things and pursuing excellence in their unique niche.

It doesn’t mean you have to go back to school or take expensive courses. But it does mean having a willing mind and a teachable spirit.

7. Be Okay With Losing

We have to learn how to be okay with losing.

Not everything we try is going to work. And sometimes, we just have to try a whole host of different things before something really sticks.

Whether that's a career choice, a campaign, a product design etc.

Instead of becoming discouraged, we can become empowered to keep going.

Because in the words of Thomas Edison,

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

And isn’t that what learning is all about?

Let’s Keep This Conversation Going!

As I mentioned above, I love having these intentional conversations. And I hope they are as impactful to you as they are to me.

Let's continue this discussion online!

Sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss our next post. And don't forget to visit our socials! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

- Josh & The OSM Team

5 Powerful Lessons That Every Business Owner Should Learn

Being a business owner is hard.

Now, don’t get me wrong! I love it. I love the creativity and talent I see every day in my team. I love the passion I see in our clients. I love the daily challenge I’m presented with to lead and grow my business to new heights. And I love having flexibility with my family to live a life I love.

And while these things don’t necessarily make my job any easier, they do make it so incredibly worth it.

So, while I could give you all the helpful business advice on how to start, grow and accelerate your business - I’m not.

At least, not today ;)

Because what I want most for you is deeper than that.

I want you to enjoy what you do wholeheartedly. To wake up on a Monday morning and start your day with excitement and confidence.

I want you to be unafraid to lead your business forward with the vision you have for it. And I want you to build healthy habits and relationships with your team.

I want all this for you.

So, in this article, you won’t find fluffy encouragements or empty sentiments. Mostly because I don’t believe you can stand firm on fluff. And also because everyone knows you can’t go very far on an empty tank.

Instead, I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look at owning a business - the pretty and the not-so-pretty.

I hope you learn some of the most impactful lessons I have had to unpack and digest over the years. Because I believe It’s truths like these that impact our success the most.

The Buck Stops With You

This is one of the first things you’ll learn - and it’s not a fun one. It is, however, necessary to understand.

As a business owner, the buck stops with you.

In other words, your business is your responsibility. So whether the result is good or bad, you must be willing to accept the criticism - regardless of whether that critiquing is constructive or not.

Nobody likes the blame game. And frankly, it will get you nowhere.

So while nobody likes to hear the words “it’s all your fault”, sometimes that's what we have to accept. Only then can we take the necessary steps forward to healthy reconciliation.

My advice? Be the bigger person.

Kind Candour Is Necessary.

Who here loves confrontation and conflict resolution?

(I’m not expecting a lot of hands to go up)

If you’re like me, the resolution part is easy! But getting there is less than fun.

I used to shy away from confrontation because it seemed like a more peaceful solution.

But if you want to build a successful business based on your and your company's core values, you must face the issue head-on.

Otherwise, what started as a simple disagreement could lead to a very unnecessary argument.

In my experience, learning to be upfront and kind is the best approach to confrontation - AKA cultivating kind candour!

Your Best Work Comes From a Place of Rest.

Do you ever feel guilty for taking a break?

For setting a strict boundary on your schedule?

Or for limiting how much time you spend at the office?

You’re not alone!

In North America, we are taught to EARN our rest.

In our fast-paced world, getting as much done in as little time as possible has become more than a social norm. It’s become the goal of most career-focused individuals!

But in reality, this mindset is causing increased stress, anxiety and burnout - especially as businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a CFIB and Nexim Canada study, 66% of small business owners are close to burnout.

And this burnout is precisely why boundaries and rest are so necessary.

To work on and in your business effectively, you need to learn how to approach it from a place of rest - not exhaustion.

Habits Outweigh Goals

In my experience, a solid vision and healthy habits always outweigh a goal.

You might be shaking your head in disbelief right about now. After all, how can a company move forward and grow without a goal in mind?

But I’m not telling you to stop making goals.

In truth, I love goals!

But I believe the habits we build and implement in our daily lives hugely impact these goals.

I believe practising core values and implementing healthy routines are the ONLY way to effectively achieve these goals.

Every company has a vision. And everyone in that company needs to understand the direction that vision is taking them.

But what are you and your team doing to get there?

How can we build strong, healthy habits that support our vision?

Not Everyone Is Going To Like or Understand You.

We touched on this topic briefly in our 2022 Social Media Engagement Guide. But, as a business owner, I believe this is one of the greatest lessons you can learn.

Here it is:

Not everyone will like you.

And not everyone will understand you.

But, regardless of who does or doesn’t, you must stand firm on your values. You must treat others as you would want them to treat you - with respect.

Let’s Keep This Conversation Going!

At OSM, we love connecting with and supporting local businesses. 

Our VISION is to help you cultivate, grow and thrive.

And we make it our DAILY HABIT to give you the practical tools and creative solutions you need to do just that!

You can find these tips on our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels! 

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