We’re well into “let’s pick this up in January” season, and you definitely deserve the break. When you’re ready to start setting up for 2024, we’ve put together some tips that will help you put your best foot forward and avoid setting goals that leave you feeling lost and overwhelmed.

Make Time for Reflection

It’s no secret that the approaching new year is the perfect time for goal setting for entrepreneurs–but it’s also a time to reflect on and celebrate all that you’ve accomplished in the past 12 months.

Building and sustaining a business is hard work, and taking the time to acknowledge just how far you’ve come doesn’t just feel great, but also helps you identify your strengths and take your next steps with more clarity. Maybe you took the leap and created your first official business pitch to apply to The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch, or established boundaries to create a stronger separation between your work and personal life. Maybe you launched a new product or service, or received some stellar end-of-year reviews from your team.

Whatever successes you're proud of, take some time to sit back and appreciate them. Consider writing your wins down if you’re a visual person, sharing them with someone close to you, or even just sitting with some happy thoughts.

Break Down Your Next Steps

When you start a business, you aren’t starting from nothing. Not even close.

Your experiences, culture, and learnings enable you to create something that’s truly your own–and activating the wisdom that comes from this is one of the most important steps in creating the vision you have. As you lay out your goals for the new year, think about how your unique strengths will help you achieve them, as well as the areas of improvement you’d like to focus on.

Goal setting for entrepreneurs becomes so much more attainable when you break the path forward down into smaller steps. Looking at your aspirations through this lens will help you bring them to life.

For example, if you’d like to embrace new technology solutions that will streamline your business operations, you may want to start by connecting with entrepreneurs in your industry to learn what’s worked best for them. If you don’t already have a few people in mind, one of your first steps could be to take part in a networking event or conference that will help you grow your community capital.

Whether you’re working on a 10-year plan or striving towards goals that can be achieved in a much shorter time, consider your vision and then break down the tangible actions you can take to get there.

Looking for more guidance on goal setting for entrepreneurs? Check out HubSpot’s How to Write a SMART Goal guide and template.

Make it Happen

Accessing financial capital is one of the greatest obstacles women entrepreneurs are tasked with overcoming–but your success is also made possible by wisdom and community capital.

Attending networking events, conferences, free online learning sessions, and enrolling in programs are just a few of the ways that you can level up your skills and grow connections that can be pivotal to your growth. Plus, they’ll likely open up opportunities to learn about and take advantage of financial resources and support that could be available to you.

It’s important to remember that goal setting for entrepreneurs looks different for every founder. Think about striving towards milestones that are all your own–not only those that might be traditionally expected of you.

Psst! Want to stay in the know about the latest networking events, conferences, and programming available to women entrepreneurs in Canada? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Connect and Collaborate

Community is everything.

From seeking out game-changing feedback from your customers, to collaborating with fellow entrepreneurs and pooling your resources together–those in your network have so much to share.

Focusing on the growth of your network is one of the best things you can do for your business and for yourself. Community helps to create a sense of belonging, makes you and your business more resilient to challenges, and can play a big role in improving your emotional well-being.

It’s often said that entrepreneurship is lonely–but it doesn’t have to be that way!

What’s Next

Whether you’re in the ideation phase, just launched, or are actively growing your business, we’re here to help you activate and access the wisdom, community, and financial capital you need to thrive.

To meet you exactly where you’re at, our programming considers your goals, needs, and the challenges that might lie in front of you.

Get Started Now

The Forum Mentor Program: Presented by The Scotiabank Women Initiative®, this program provides you the opportunity to connect with a seasoned entrepreneur who really gets you. Once you’ve been paired with a mentor, you’ll meet on a monthly basis for a year to get personalized advice, learn from their experiences, and map out your goals.

Find a mentor

The Forum Founder's Circle: Presented by TD, this program is specifically designed for high-growth entrepreneurs who are navigating all the changes that have come their way. Feel supported by a circle of your peers and gain tangible tools that will enable you to put your next phase of growth into action.

Applications are open until January 18, 2024.

Learn more & Apply

Weekly Virtual Connects: Perfect for early and intermediate-stage entrepreneurs, these community meetups are a safe space to meet fellow founders and their supporters, ask questions, and build meaningful relationships.

Join us for the next one

Join the Waitlist

The Forum E-Series: Presented by RBC, this program runs twice a year and provides you with an all-encompassing education on the skills and topics you need to start and sustain your business.

Join the spring 2024 waitlist

The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch: As Canada’s leading pitch program for women entrepreneurs, The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch helps you fast-track your access to the different types of capital you need to reach your goals. Just by applying, you’ll gain access to complimentary education sessions that will enable you to gain more clarity and confidence.

Join the 2024/24 waitlist

But First: You Time

Goal setting for entrepreneurs doesn’t have to wait for the new year–and don’t forget to consider making priorities that are just for your enjoyment. That could mean taking some you time to crack open a novel, or buying some paint and canvas to explore your creative side.

However you choose to spend the end of 2023, we wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season.