BTB Episode 114: Business Planning for the New Year

“Sounds like a small thing to just put those review dates on the calendar, but I think putting it on the calendar is huge. It sounds like a small step, but I think that is some of the accountability that’s needed to make sure that you’re actually doing what you said you’re going to do. Because, again, as an entrepreneur, time flies. So all of a sudden three months have passed and it really is important that you have those key mile markers and touch points on your calendars for yourself and for your team to kind of stop and assess. Otherwise, time will just pass and you just keep working and you might be doing great work, but was it the work that you set out to do?”

Shay Cochrane, the founder and CEO of Social Squares, joins me on the podcast for a timely discussion about planning an end of year retreat to reflect on the previous year and plan for the upcoming year. Shay always brings a lot of practical advice and insight to the podcast and this episode was no different.

If you want to learn a little bit more about Shay, the origins of Social Squares, and productizing a service, I encourage you to check out episode 41. Today we discuss how she organizes her end of year retreat where she goes away for a weekend to reflect on the previous year, evaluate how things have gone, and put together a plan for the upcoming year.

Find it Quickly

• 2:42 – What Shay has been up to with Social Squares
• 8:24 – Information about Shay’s end of year retreat
• 13:16 – Review the year, growth, numbers, etc.
• 17:20 – Review mission, vision, and core values
• 19:43 – Resources Shay uses to draw team leadership from
• 21:20 – Review surveys
• 25:51 – Planning for the new year
• 29:30 – Planning content for the year
• 32:43 – How to make sure the planned content is actually going to happen
• 39:14 – Things that have surprised Shay during these retreats

Resources

• BTB Episode 41: Productizing a Service
• Social Squares Styled Stock Membership
• Traction
• Donald Miller
• The Advantage
• Good to Great
• Ashlee Profit Calendars
• Ultimate Business Assessment and Planning Guide for Small Businesses

More about Shay

As a commercial photographer and product stylist, Shay’s clients spanned the globe (brands like Sugarfina, Pure Fiji, Truffle bags and Simplified Planner to name a few). But powerhouse female entrepreneurs like Marie Forleo, Jenna Kutcher and thousands of others know and love her for her Social Squares Membership where she puts her years of work as a commercial stylist and photographer into a monthly styled stock subscription that supplies elevated stock images + digital marketing education for female-owned online brands. She has been married for 15 years to her fellow entrepreneur husband Graham Cochrane and they call sunny Tampa, Florida home along with their two daughters.

Website | Instagram | Pinterest | Instagram (Personal)

Save it for later…