I am the co-ambassador of the Swakopmund Chapter of Future Females.
Last Wednesday I did a presentation online to a group of ladies on Setting Goals for your business.

Thought you may find it handy too, here is the information I shared

Hi, I am Charlie Hartung.

Mother of 2 and wife to a phenomenal man. As a marketing scholar, I have over 19 years’ experience in the field and have held positions such as marketing assistant, marketing and Public relations officer, marketing manager, sales manager and Chief Executive Office.
I now proudly am in business with my family and I run our family meat processing facility in Swakopmund.In addition I am the owner of All Things Charlie. A lifestyle blog hosting a collection of articles focussing on fitness, weight and health journeys, friendships and heartaches, business, motherhood, beauty and just navigating life in general. I am the Founder and Chairperson of The Blush Foundation which I started last year. I am an entrepreneur and have started businesses from scratch, with just an idea and have turned it into a thriving enterprise. I’ve taken on challenges to turn a corporate image around and I have created brands

To have goals for your career and business is important because they provide you with a target to work towards. A roadmap to your end result. As with road maps they take turns, directions can change but at the end the map should always lead to you where you want to be

Here are 3 Business goals to prioritize.

1. Strategic Goals
If you have partners, make time, get your partners together or if you are alone in your business make time to really sit and think about what it is you wish to accomplish with this business.
Set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals.
Then create activities that will help you reach that goal.

E.g. The goal is 5 new clients each month.
Now that you have the desired result, you can work towards achieving it through various means like weekly networking, cold calling, advertising in print media, social media etc.

2. Professional Development Goals
For your business to grow, you must grow personally by learning new things and meeting new people. Sometimes just having insightful conversations can bring clarity on a struggle you might have. Attend conferences and upgrade your skills. Consider taking a sales course, learn to make our own social media adverts or even as simple as how to manage your diary and office more effectively.

3. Financial Goals
Without clearly defined goals it’s difficult to measure your progress and stay on track. Set an income/sales target for each item your business sells or service you provide.

Ensure your accounting is always up to date at a certain time of the month. Statements are sent out by a certain date etc.
Decide how and when your business will start rewarding you? How many employees do you need to make it work? Can you work alone?

Here are 4 reasons why you should set goals

1. Focus: when you are focused on our goal you will do whatever it takes to achieve it. Have it be the thing you look at daily as a reminder.

2. Motivation: Goals give you something to strive for. To do what is needed to succeed.

3. Accountability: Goals keep you accountable. It will serve as a reminder why you started this journey.

4. Progress: Don’t just set immediate goals, set long term goals too. Set a benchmark to each goal. Set KPI’s for yourself. And review this document often

Your next question will be, where do I start and
How Do I set Goals?

For this purpose, we will use Beatrice Schultz’s ‘SPIRIT’ guidelines for setting goals.

Be Specific about what you want to achieve. The result should be both tangible and measurable.

Prize: Reward yourself at different points towards your goal and it need not be monetary. It can be a day to the spa, Or a coffee you’ve been meaning to have with a friend but haven’t had time.

Individual: Your goals must be what you want and enjoy doing. If it’s not something that defines you, or is close to your heart, you will lose interest sooner or later.

Review: Review your progress often. Does your goal still make sense?  Has your ideas around a certain issue changed? Are you stuck?

Inspiring: Frame your goals positively. Make it fun to want to accomplish. When you love what you do you will want to do more of it.

Time Bound: Give yourself a deadline. Know how much time you have for what you want to achieve

Examine what you wish to accomplish with your values in mind.
Align your venture with who you are. Do some introspection.

Does this speak to my personal values?

Be clear about who you are, what you are capable of and all light that with what you want.

Be honest with yourself.

Personal Values are what motivate people’s actions and gives them a sense of guiding principles in their lives.

E.g.: My personal values include

Creativity and Progress: So, I can never engage in a business that does not stimulate my creativity, where I can see tangible results.

Honesty: I can never do business with people I cannot trust. I value honesty and transparency in business.

Efficiency: To be productive, work smart and see results.

The End.