“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first 4 sharpening the axe.” [Abraham Lincoln]

Yes I know, an oldie but a goodie, and a cliché that regularly gets rolled out as business improvement advice. Why? Because it’s true.

30 June is just around the corner, so what does that mean to you? Is it the end of a financial year or the beginning of a new one?

Think of it as the beginning of a new year, where you will have a detailed roadmap of where you want your business to be in 12 months and how you’re going to get there. Don’t make it another year of existing with no clear direction, getting battered and bruised along the way.

Make this new financial year different. Begin with a master plan firmly in hand, as well as tools to measure. Once you’ve achieved your goals, celebrate and enjoy the victory, you’ve earned it.

tip: goals are rarely achieved without a plan. without a plan, you’re left with hope. last time I looked hope was not a valid business strategy.