Thinking Ahead: Setting One Intentional Goal for Your Business Each Year

As the year winds down, I always take some time to think about what’s next. Not in a “new year, new goals” kind of way, but in a grounded, practical sense. What do I want the next year of my business to look like? What’s one main goal I can realistically work toward?

Because as small business owners, we can’t do everything at once.

Most of us aren’t backed by investors with deep pockets. We’re cash flowing our growth, maybe taking out a small loan, making thoughtful decisions with the resources we have. That means we have to be selective about where we focus our energy and money.

So each year, I set one main goal for Truly Bookkeeping. Just one. It keeps our growth intentional and sustainable.

Over the years, here’s what that’s looked like and what I’ve learned along the way.

Year One: Building a Team

When I launched Truly Bookkeeping, I knew within two months that I didn’t want to do it alone.

Not because I couldn’t handle the work, but because I wanted to build something stable. If something ever happened to me or a family member, I didn’t want my clients left stranded. Having a team meant we could provide consistent service no matter what life threw our way.

It also allowed me to be human, to take care of myself and my family when needed without sacrificing client care.

Since the business was brand new, cash was limited. So instead of hiring an employee right away, I started with an independent contractor. It was a manageable way to bring on help without taking on payroll taxes or benefits immediately. That decision was a turning point, it was my first real step toward building the kind of business I wanted: one rooted in sustainability, balance, and trust.

Year Two: Adding Benefits and Planning for the Future

Once I had my first team member, I wanted to make sure Truly could take care of us both, not just in the moment, but long-term.

That’s when I added a 401(k) plan.

Retirement is something many small business owners and contractors overlook, and I was no exception. I wanted to change that, not just for me, but for my team. Offering a 401(k) was my way of saying: “We’re not only building this business for today. We’re investing in our future.”

It was a stretch financially, but it was worth it. I couldn’t offer every benefit right away, but I could start somewhere.

Year Three: Working on My Terms

By the third year, Truly had grown significantly. With growth came new clients, new opportunities, and new challenges.

That year’s goal was about refinement and alignment. I focused on working on my terms: letting go of clients and systems that weren’t working well, even when those decisions were difficult.

It meant evaluating which clients were taking too much time or emotional bandwidth and being honest about whether they were still a good fit. It meant improving systems that had become clunky as we grew. And it also meant hiring more team members to share the load.

That process helped me redefine what balance looked like as a business owner. I didn’t want to work 60-hour weeks just to keep things running. I wanted a business that was healthy enough to thrive while I worked reasonable hours, and that’s exactly what we built.

Year Four: Shifting to a Team Mindset

In year four, the focus shifted from “having a team” to leading one.

Even after you hire people, it takes intentional effort to move from individual work to a team-centered mindset. I began focusing more on leadership, training, and creating systems that supported both consistency and autonomy.

I wanted the team to feel empowered to serve clients in their own way while knowing they had my full support. That meant giving them freedom, encouraging open communication, and building a culture where mistakes were seen as opportunities to learn, not reasons for blame.

This mindset shift made Truly Bookkeeping stronger. It wasn’t just about serving clients well anymore, it was about building a healthy, human organization.

Looking Ahead: Setting Your One Goal

Every business owner’s path looks different. Your goals might be hiring your first employee, improving your systems, or building a cash cushion. Whatever it is, the key is to pick one primary focus for the year ahead.

Start thinking about it now:

• What do you want next year to look like?
  
• What’s one change that would make your work easier, more sustainable, or more meaningful?
• Who can help you get there: team members, mentors, or clients?
  

You don’t have to have it all figured out by January 1. I often don’t land on my “main goal” until a month or two into the year. But the process of reflection, of asking what’s next and what matters most, is what drives intentional growth.

That’s the kind of business I’ve tried to build at Truly Bookkeeping. And that’s the kind of growth I hope for every small business owner: slow, steady, human, and built to last.