2. Analyze Key Areas of Your Business
Take a deep dive into the previous year’s performance of your firm, prioritizing four main areas.
Finances. Profitability and cash flow are, of course, essential for any business, so make sure you cover this aspect thoroughly during your annual review. “I keep records of each project, the time spent and revenue earned, as well as the types of projects that work best for me,” Auzins says. “We review fees and costs, and work out if changes are needed.”
“We analyze profitability, evaluate individual project performance and examine trends in financial data,” says Alex Strikovs, managing director of design-build firm Home Republic. “This helps us understand what drives profitability and where to focus our efforts.”
Reader recommends doing an audit of all your outgoings. “It’s important to keep an eye on the functionality of key expensive tools, such as the computer and software, and to plan upgrades ahead of time,” he says. “I also review the ongoing relevance of regular outgoings, such as memberships and publicity payments, to ensure they’re still required and are delivering.
“Income is obviously also key and with [at least] nine months of income data in hand, as well as client numbers and types of projects, I can reflect on the balance and areas of income generation of the business,” he says. “From these, I can make informed decisions on my preferred work and my pricing model for the coming year.”
How to Build Systems and Teams That Can Cope With Busy Times
Take a deep dive into the previous year’s performance of your firm, prioritizing four main areas.
Finances. Profitability and cash flow are, of course, essential for any business, so make sure you cover this aspect thoroughly during your annual review. “I keep records of each project, the time spent and revenue earned, as well as the types of projects that work best for me,” Auzins says. “We review fees and costs, and work out if changes are needed.”
“We analyze profitability, evaluate individual project performance and examine trends in financial data,” says Alex Strikovs, managing director of design-build firm Home Republic. “This helps us understand what drives profitability and where to focus our efforts.”
Reader recommends doing an audit of all your outgoings. “It’s important to keep an eye on the functionality of key expensive tools, such as the computer and software, and to plan upgrades ahead of time,” he says. “I also review the ongoing relevance of regular outgoings, such as memberships and publicity payments, to ensure they’re still required and are delivering.
“Income is obviously also key and with [at least] nine months of income data in hand, as well as client numbers and types of projects, I can reflect on the balance and areas of income generation of the business,” he says. “From these, I can make informed decisions on my preferred work and my pricing model for the coming year.”
How to Build Systems and Teams That Can Cope With Busy Times