Planning your next year: a practical owner's checklist

Annual planning doesn't need a strategy off-site. It needs an hour, a pen, and honest answers to a short list of questions.

The checklist

• What do I want less of next year?
• Which product or service actually earns its keep?
• Who on the team is ready for more responsibility?
• What one investment would compound over three years?
• When am I taking holiday — and who covers me?

Write your answers down. Read them again in January. Adjust as needed.