Summer is over: let's get back on track.

AuthorBuconjic, Nevin
PositionGuest Columnist

Although I have been out of school for many years, when September comes around, I still feel the excitement of the first day of school. Maybe not the hopes or fears that kids feel, but definitely a sense of an opportunity for new beginnings, or simply a perfect time to re-evaluate my business and personal goals.

Like many of you, I like to make personal goals--whether it is to get back to the gym, eat better, or simply read more. Whatever it might be, it's important to challenge ourselves. The same goes for your business. At regular intervals you should be evaluating your business, developing goals and planning your next steps.

Perhaps you want to expand your local business, change the menu at your diner, add a new product line, or move into a bigger retail space. One of the best ways to approach goal setting is to follow the SMART principle. SMART is an acronym used in goal-setting and strategic planning, and means your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound.

In 2012, I set a goal to write my first book. I have counselled and assisted hundreds of entrepreneurs, and spoken to even more students about opportunities in entrepreneurship. I wanted to share my experiences and business knowledge with others interested in following their dreams. I made the following goal:

I am going to write a book to show people how to start their own business, sharing my personal lessons, stories and business knowledge. I will write the book in three months. I will self-publish my book as a digital e-book on Amazon.com, and promote my book using various strategies I have learned. I will sell 5,000 copies in the first three years.

I completed the book in three months. However, this is where the plan changed. While editing my book, I decided to remove a whole chapter. Since my book was still being finalized, I decided to turn the single chapter into its own e-book and publish it on Amazon just for the experience. "25 Money-Making Businesses You Can Start in Your Spare Time" was born.

I learned everything I could about self-publishing and promoting your own books. I put a launch...

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