Alrighty, folks – a month into the new year and it’s safe to say that 2026 has well and truly begun. Whether you opted out of taking a holiday over the festive period or you’re just dusting off your stock this very moment, there’s a case to be argued that the end of January is actually the best time to start crafting those new year’s resolutions – especially for small-biz owners. The chaos of the silly season is out of the way and a fresh page is waiting for you to fill in the blanks. Before you go scribbling down all your hopes and dreams for the year ahead, it pays to take a moment to stop and consider your goals. Spy these tips and tricks to help craft your new year’s business resolutions – ones that you’ll actually keep.

REFLECT ON THE YEAR THAT WAS Before you even start drafting up some dazzling biz goals for 2026, it’s important to spend a little time thinking back on the previous year. Take a moment to reflect – or, even better, jot down – the stand-out moments from 2025. We’re talking the good and the not-so-good. Understanding the areas of your business in which you thrived is a short-cut to understanding your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you smashed it at artist markets or crafted top-notch clips for social media, or perhaps your inbox is on the brink of explosion or your tax return still needs completing.

THINK ABOUT FUTURE YOU What do you want you and your business to look like in a year from now – like, really? Fast-forward 12 months and imagine your biz and the way you’re running it – what’s changed? Maybe you’ve turned a one-folk-show into a team or doubled your Instagram followers. Now, what do you have to do to make this a reality?

FIND A BIZ BUDDY One of the best ways to keep your goals on track and your head on your shoulders is finding yourself a peer. This is especially helpful for sole-traders and freelancers, or anyone whose job requires a hell of a lot of riding solo. Buddying up with someone whose business is not so different from your own is a feel-good way to keep each other accountable in your biz goals. It also means that you’ll always have someone to celebrate the wins with.

ALL WORK, ALL PLAY Achieving your new year’s resolutions is only as boring as you let it be. And, look, we won’t lie – there are some boring bits to running a business. But there are also ways to have fun with them. Spending time jotting down expenses is more interesting with a good glass of red in hand, just as sifting through invoices is kind of exciting when there’s a heck of a good playlist soundtracking you. The boring parts of hitting your goals are only opportunities for fun, waiting for you to show up and get shit done.

WHEN IN DOUBT, BE SMART Crafting your new year’s resolutions is an art in itself. Lucky for us, some clever boffin somewhere came up with SMART – an acronym for goal-getting. Just think: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. For example, instead of some half-baked resolution like “grow my customer base”, you’re going to want to get specific. Maybe you’re focused on expanding your social media reach – “reach 10k followers by the end of the year” – or connect to customers you haven’t before – “host a stall at 5 new artist markets”.  The more specific your goal is, the easier it is to break it down into smaller goals.

Which leads us to: measurable. How are you going to track your resolutions? Break them down into monthly, weekly, or even daily activities – something you can tick off in small portions. And for goodness’ sake, make sure it’s achievable. You’re only setting yourself up for failure – or for one damn hard year – by setting yourself a goal you never could have kicked. Next up: relevant. It goes without saying, but keep it biz-focused, and focused on your biz specifically. Forget what other businesses are doing or the awards they’re collecting – your business is a reflection of you and what you want out of it. Finally, make it time-bound. Obviously, a new year’s resolution offers you a clean timeframe, but don’t be afraid to mold it to your groove. At the end of the day, you’re the captain of this ship – how you sail it is completely up to you.

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