For many of us 2009 was a challenging year.  Now is the time to focus on your accomplishments, rather than focus on what didn’t get done.  Celebrate what you achieved.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1. Becoming more nimble and flexible in the way you do business as the economic environment worsened and then seemed to get stuck in a holding pattern.  Along the way you learned a few things.
2. Learning to do what you dislike.  Be it calling customers to collect past-due amounts or tightening customer credit to protect cash flow.  It wasn’t always easy but it was necessary.  Your business is stronger for it.
3. Re-focusing the business services back to core competencies even at the risk of disappointing certain customers.  Overall operations will be more efficient and profitable.
4. Parring expenses to what was needed to operate not what was desired.  Yes the belt tightening was annoying but the cost of not surviving was even more annoying.
5. Cross-training staff to both economize on labor and develop employees’ latent skills.  Without realizing it you created a training program that will help you to grow in-house talent!
6. Using down-time wisely to create new product and/or service offerings and to shore up systems and procedures.  With the “luxury” of time you invested in your business future.
7. Exploring the world of social media and determining what makes sense for your business and the customers you need to attract.
8. Interacting live with your customers and listening to what they need from your business to be successful.  You have enhanced the relationship.
9. Asking for help. Perhaps you joined a CEO forum or formed an advisory board.  The important point is you stopped trying to go it alone.

What else have you done that you can share with us?  Leave a comment and let us know. 

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!