The beginning of a new year is like hitting the reset button, right? If you're a business owner, this is the perfect time to take a step back and think about where you're at and what you want to achieve in the upcoming year. Setting goals is like the secret sauce for personal and professional growth. Whether you're dreaming big or just plotting out some day-to-day projects, like getting paid faster or tightening up your expenses, it's all important. Maybe you're even thinking about automating some processes or venturing into new markets. Whatever your game plan, the new year is your canvas. Having a clear vision and tangible goals is the key to making those big dreams a reality. So, let's dive into some tips to kickstart your goal-setting journey: Review the year that's been: Take the time to review the year and acknowledge all that has happened, good, bad or indifferent. Examining the year with an objective perspective can provide valuable insights to prepare for the next business year. Planning and goal setting will help provide a focus for your business efforts. Envision your future: Picture where you want to be in the next five or ten years. How can your business help you achieve those life goals? Having a clear endpoint makes it a whole lot easier to set goals that align with your vision. Set measurable goals: Wishy-washy goals are like trying to catch a cloud. Instead, aim for goals you can measure. Think about the key metrics in your business, like a 3% increase in net profit each year, a 2% cut in expenses, or grabbing two new customers monthly. Specific targets make tracking progress a breeze. Develop a plan for each goal: Once you've got your goals lined up, create a game plan. This could be a simple list or a brainstorming session with your team. Having a clear plan keeps you focused and ready to roll. Monitor your progress regularly: Keep tabs on how you're doing. Set reminders or sync up with your invoicing cycle. Regular check-ins help you spot areas for improvement and keep those fresh ideas flowing. Celebrate your achievements: Don't forget to celebrate those wins along the way. Treat yourself or your team to something special. It could be a morning tea, a day out of the office, or even planning an end-of-year bash. Find something that brings you joy without breaking the bank. We can help: Not sure where to start? We’re here to help! We can assist you in planning and tracking the key steps that will keep your business moving forward. At All Accounted For we pride ourselves in offering our clients a progressive approach in all aspects of their business. Whether it's working through a financial model, providing support to execute your plans, or helping to identify your advantages - together, we can help you make headway to reach your business goals. When you conduct a past-year review with one of our experienced advisors, we will: Run through your current business plan Provide feedback on where you are heading and talk through the opportunities you might not see in your own business Provide valuable insights for this year's goal setting Implement a tailored business plan Keen to learn more? We offer many business advisory services including: Business Reporting: monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly Cash Flow Forecasting Budgeting Business Valuations Software Systems & Apps: setups and assistance If you’d like to chat about what you can do differently this year to enable your business to thrive, give Ben Duflou a call on 04-970-1182 to discuss how we can help.

Back in September, we announced that Xero was working on a refreshed navigation and homepage (formerly the Dashboard) to deliver a faster, cleaner, and more intuitive experience. With the navigation changes now live, Xero is moving to the next major update: the fully redesigned homepage. The new homepage is being introduced organisation by organisation over the coming months and will continue through to March 2026, so you may begin to see the updated layout appearing soon. Here’s what’s new in the homepage refresh: More meaningful insights: Xero has upgraded existing widgets and introduced new ones such as tasks, recently paid invoices, and net profit/loss - giving you important financial information at a glance. Customise your layout your way: You’ll be able to drag, drop, resize and reorder widgets so your homepage reflects what matters most to you. Your layout is unique to your login and won’t affect anyone else in your business. Time to adjust: If you’re not quite ready for the new look, you can temporarily switch back to the old dashboard for up to 24 hours before Xero automatically returns you to the new layout - giving everyone the chance to ease in. As always, if you have any questions or would like help navigating the changes, please don’t hesitate to call our team on 04 909 7729 . We’re here to support you. If you’d like to learn more about these upcoming changes, Xero has recently shared a helpful overview, which you can access by clicking HERE .