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I get a lot of inbound requests for help this time of year. It seemed odd at first. Everyone is moving at a frantic pace and also desperate to slow down for the holidays. Who has time to go find a strategist right now? But so many leaders realize that the year is drawing to a close and so there’s not a ton of time left to make progress on your goals & hopes for this year. (Shout out to the nonprofits making that year end fundraising push👀.) Some are feeling confident and inspired for the year ahead and some are looking around wondering how they ended up here (again??). Regardless of which you are, I want you to have clarity and confidence to build a business you love. So for the next 4 weeks, I’m going to share the 4 strategies I look at when crafting a plan for More Impact with Less Friction. These will be quick and dirty (I know we have zero extra minutes these days) and they work so lean in and reply if you need more. Here we go.

On Stability

Here’s the uncomfy truth: It’s silly to make a 3 year plan (or 1 year or 5 years for that matter) if you’re not sure the business is going to survive. I once saw a client sit down to draft a strategic plan and start brainstorming pathways to more programs in the year to come while skipping right over the fact that they weren’t sure if they could pay rent through the quarter. Now do eventually need to remove yourself from constant crisis mode. Eventually. But please just start with step one. Make sure you as the human in charge, and the business as the entity you’re building, both have what they need to survive. This is strategic.

How to put this to work:

1. Take stock of everything you as a human need to be able to keep doing this work for another year.

   More exercise? A therapist? More sleep? It could be anything. But think intentionally about what you need. Make a real life list.

2. Identify what your business needs to keep functioning for another year.

   Do you have a space you need to work? Do you have the cash flow to pay for that space? Do you need more ink cartridges? Stamps? Notion blocks? Think through four main categories: People, spaces, supplies (including equipment, materials, etc), and platforms. Again, make a real life list.

3. Notice what you have.

   The simplest way to do this is to look at the lists you already made and cross off the things you confidently have access to.

4. Fill the gaps.

   If you’ve crossed off the needs you’re confidently meeting, what you have left in front of you is the list of what’s keeping you from stability. Go fill these needs. Order the ink cartridges (subscribe and save maybe??). Block time on your calendar to set up your work space. Make an appointment with whichever doctor you should see. Do it now. Serious. Right now.

This Cool Thing I Found

Events, free stuff, or cool links I’ve found lately. May contain affiliate or partner links.

🤝The Co-Promotion Club

“Get more leads” tends to be at the top of everybody’s business wish list. But it’s not any old lead you want. We want high quality leads. With money to spend. Who are ready to move forward. Yes? Yes! Lucky for us, the impeccable Janna Carlson is making this happen for us. In The Co-Promotion club, we get monthly, hour-long networking sessions with intentionally-curated groups of people who serve similar audiences to us. It’s pretty no-frills because that’s exactly what we need. If you’re wanting higher-quality referrals consistently, join the freaking club! You’ll get $30 off when you mention my name!

🦉Wildlife Photo Finalists

Y’all love the creatures! SkyNews published their 25 people’s choice finalists for wildlife photos. Some are precious and some are stunning. Check them out for a whimsical little brain break.

👵 AI Grandma

One point for team “Ai might not ruin us”. Virgin Media created an AI generated grandma whose only job is to talk to scammers on the phone so that real people don’t have to.

I’m Laura Green - a strategist helping growth minded founders do more of the work they dreamed of. My work focuses on using systems & strategies to find more impact and less friction. I love charts, good beer, nerdy nature books, and sneakers. When I’m not spinning up spreadsheets, you can find me gardening, hanging with my wonderfully wild kids, or sneaking in a nap. ✌️