New Year Resolutions vs. Small Business Goals: A Hilarious Showdown

Its that time of year when every second person is "New Year, New Me" so if you are in business do you use the New Year for New Business goals?

After all they are similar especially if you are a small business. Both are born from optimism and the belief that this year will be different. Yet, when you compare the two, their differences are as glaring as a barista spelling your name wrong on purpose. Let's dive into this light-hearted showdown.

Round 1: The Kick-off

New Year Resolutions: "New Year, New Me!" Armed with a shiny new gym membership and a Pinterest board full of Kale recipes, you announce to the world (or at least Instagram) that you're finally going to get fit, write a novel, and learn to play the ukulele—all before March. Small Business Goals: "New Year, New Revenue Streams!" With spreadsheets, market research, and an accountant on speed dial, you set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound). You even throw in some KPIs for good measure. You're not here to play; you're here to conquer. Winner: Small Business Goals. A Pinterest board is no match for a well-crafted business plan.

Round 2: The Execution

New Year Resolutions: Day one, you're crushing it. Day two, your legs are sore from squats. Day three, you're negotiating with yourself: does walking to the fridge count as cardio? By week two, the ukulele is gathering dust, and the Kale has been replaced by pizza. Small Business Goals: Execution involves Gantt charts, team meetings, and the occasional existential crisis. Even when things go south, you pivot (or at least Google "How to pivot without looking desperate"). Sure, there are setbacks, but unlike resolutions, business goals don't allow ghosting. There are invoices to send and bills to pay. Winner: Small Business Goals. You can't ghost your P&L statement. (Well your shouldn't… if your P&L is not on your favourite report list lets catch up).

Round 3: The Accountability

New Year Resolutions: Your accountability partner is your bestie, who's just as committed to her resolution of "dry January"… until she texts you from happy hour on January 5th. Social media posts help for a while, but eventually, your updates turn into photos of your dog in funny hats. No one questions it. Small Business Goals: Accountability comes in the form of clients, employees, and sometimes your mother, who still doesn't understand what you do but regularly asks, "So, how's the business?" Also, tax season is a relentless accountability partner. Forgetting your goals isn't an option when the ATO is involved. Winner: Small Business Goals. Because the tax office doesn't take "I'll try harder next year" as an excuse.

Round 4: The Reward

New Year Resolutions: If you stick with it (big if), the reward is a healthier, happier you… or at least a you who can confidently say, "I ran three times this year!" Plus, there's the smug satisfaction of proving the naysayers wrong. Small Business Goals: Hit your goals, and the rewards are tangible: increased revenue, expanded market share, or maybe just keeping the lights on another year. Plus, there's nothing quite like the thrill of invoicing a big client or finally hitting "profit" on your cash flow statement. Winner: Small Business Goals. Because smug satisfaction doesn't pay the bills.

Round 5: The Long Game

New Year Resolutions: By the time December rolls around, you've either forgotten your resolution or rebranded it into something more attainable: "I didn't learn French, but I can say 'croissant' with a perfect accent now." Small Business Goals: Long-term planning is part of the game. Whether you're reinvesting profits or scaling operations, you've got your eye on the prize. Sure, you're exhausted, but at least you know where you're headed… kind of. Winner: Small Business Goals. Playing the long game is literally the point.

Final Score: Small Business Goals 5 - New Year Resolutions 0

While New Year resolutions are fun and fleeting, small business goals are the real MVPs of self-improvement. They require strategy, commitment, and an ability to pivot when things don't go as planned. So, this year, whether you're vowing to lose weight or gain market share, remember: the key to success is sticking with it… or at least having a good sense of humour when you don't.

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