What I have come to realize is that one of the best things you can do for your business is simple, yet significant and can be easy or incredibly hard.

This “it” factor is cultivating a highly effective implementation team. These are the people that help you complete the to dos on your list- everything from your billing, database management, and auto-responders to your sales generation and service delivery.

I am not talking about employees, or your virtual or executive assistant I am talking about people that sign on to and are committed to you- your success and the fulfillment of your mission.

Through much trial and error, a lot of misses, and a lot of money I might as well have burned in the fireplace and roasted a marshmallows over, for all the good the expenditure did me, I can finally say I have an awesome and highly effective implementation team. I want to share with you a few of the key qualities I have found in formulating a criteria to get great results for my business and many of my clients businesses.

1. Look for someone with a positive disposition. Positive people keep you positive and more importantly they give you vitality- that keeps your business vital.

2. Become the client of an entrepreneur. Rather than working with someone who considers himself or herself an independent contractor or an employee, an entrepreneurial attitude is worth its weight in gold to your business.

3. Professionalism. If it is not there you will spot it fast and in most cases. It cannot be taught because professionalism is a value as much as a skill. Professionalism is made up of genuine caring, kindness, courtesy, consideration, and integrity.

4. Integrity deserves it’s own mention. If you do not implicitly trust whomever you are working closely with, stop working closely with them.

5. A willingness to learn. I have found that someone who meets the other criteria but lacks certain skills can still be a huge asset to an organization if they are willing to learn. Be willing to invest in them.

If you are looking for the right webmaster, database manager, graphic designer, virtual assistant or PR professional, use these criteria to find someone you can build a long-term relationship with and make them a member of your highly effective implementation team.

If you need a referral for anything–ask me. I have used these criteria to assemble a team strategic alliance partners I am so proud of. Use these criteria, and soon you will be saying the same thing with a smile.

I love the new year! I love resolutions, and I love the optimism and possibility thinking that goes along with them. I have seen many times that they can work and believe in making them. Just like in your personal life you probably have some ideas for what you want to be different this year in your business.

As you make resolutions and do your business planning for this year, apply these principles to ensure that your business is more solid, more prosperous and running smoother this time next year.

Know The Truth
Often times business owners make plans and set goals before they have sat down and taken a good look at the truth of what really happened in their business for the proceeding year. Do you know your cost of goods sold or how many marketing dollars it takes to acquire a new client? Can you say what percentage of your business is repeat business? Are you aware of what percentage of your revenue was generated by which products or services? These are just a few of the many questions to answer to better formulate your goals and plans for this year.

Be Optimistic
If you are a positive person, an optimist, you might even be avoiding planning right now because you do not want to set any goals because of you is afraid you might not achieve them due to the current economic reality. Plan and set goals anyway.

Attitude matters a great deal in business. Everyday, make sure you and everyone you work with has a positive disposition. It will result in more productivity and a better business experience. Hold the intention to be positive in the running of your business. You will feel better and have more fun.

Cultivate a Team of Super Stars
To truly have a business breakthrough, most businesses would benefit from focusing on this area. Are you happy with your webmaster, your accountant, your strategic alliance partners, your business coach or consultant? Can you say that they are doing a great job for you? If you are not thrilled with everyone that helps you meet your business objectives, then make a change. Finding good people who are experts at what they do, who do their work with a positive attitude and who genuinely care that you are successful, are the kinds of people you want on your success team. Do not settle for less because you are too busy to find someone better. It will be worth you’re the investment of your time and attention.

Thinking and Planning
Taking time for thinking and planning is key to moving your business forward. Thinking and planning should be a daily success practice: something you do everyday to have a productive day today, while also moving you toward your longer-term goals. Find your optimal time for thinking and planning. Both the beginning and the end of the day work great. Choose one and stick with it.

Review Regularly
When I ask a client what there goal is for an area of their business – sales, new clients, new products – and they have to find their goal sheet or file before they can answer my question, I know they are nowhere near their goal even before they respond. I have seen this hundreds of times. You want to review your mission/objectives/goals and plans at least daily – twice a day is better. The more your goals are in your head as well as on paper, the more momentum, focus and great ideas will flow to support you in getting where you want to go.

Minimize The Grabbing The Shiny Objects
One thing that happens when you are a successful business owner is that everybody wants to partner with you, offer you a business opportunity, share their latest venture with you and get you somehow involved.

Even though sometimes you might say “yes,” learn to say “no.” Remain focused on what you have set out to do. These exciting opportunities can be considered if they are in alignment with your mission, vision and goals. You have to be diligent in determining if an opportunity is something that will help your move forward or if it is something that is clearly a distraction.

Follow The Energy
Everything you do takes not only time, it also take physical energy, and mental brainpower and focus. The more things on your plate, the more mentally scattered you could feel. That’s why too many things on your plate can be a deterrent to your business success.

The other thing about energy is that you want to pay attention to what in your business draws you. What you go to first, what you do with enthusiasm and what feels like a struggle or hard work.

Energy is a great assessment tool. Use it to determine the truth about where you should put your energy in your business and where you should take your energy and attention off to maximize your effectiveness.

Stay the Course
One of the great things about having your own business is that you can change something in your business in an instant. You can add or subtract a new product or service rather quickly.

This can sometimes be a big mistake. If you try something once and it is not a huge success, do not scrap it. Instead upgrade it from what you learned the first time and try it a couple more times to get a true read if it is right for your business. What have you done in the past that deserves another shot?

The Old Adage Still Applies
There is a lot of talk about work less – make more, and ways to build a profitable business in only a few hours a week.
I love the concepts and principles and they are worth exploring and applying to your business as appropriate.

The old adage that there is no substitute for hard work still applies. Hard work still works. You do have to show up most of the time to accomplish what you want in your business. Hopefully, you love your work so much that there are times it feels more like a privilege then work. This is the place you want to get to. I mean, really how long can you lay on the beach with an umbrella beverage before it feels boring? I give it a week –maybe 10 days.

Apply the principles outlined above and you will find that this time next year you are happier, wealthier and ready for your next resolution.