I think we all make New Year’s resolutions in some manner. Some being to join a gym (note that’s join, not go), lose weight, find a new job, read “Moby Dick,” learn a foreign language. Should antiques-and-collectibles business owners make resolutions for their businesses?

You bet!

New Year’s resolutions should be achievable and make sense. Here are some:

1. Plan what you want the antique business to do in the upcoming week.  I have a friend who tweaks his antiques-business operation each Sunday evening. He is constantly changing how and where he buys inventory, displays it, advertises, etc.
2. Replace things that require your attention.  A computer that locks a jammed cash register or an employee with baggage distracts you from important chores. Replace them.
3. Become active in an organization that will benefit your antiques shop.  The chamber of commerce will provide many contacts. The historical society will put you in touch with people who have an intense interest in antiques.
4. Manage your time.  Study what you do daily. Keep written track of how long things take. When it’s in front of you in black and white, you’ll easily see if you’re wasting time. It may have become a cliché since Benjamin Franklin said it, but that doesn’t make it less true: Time is money.
5. Improve business promotion.  We all have ideas for business promotion. However, the cost of consulting with a promotion expert will be returned many times.

Make New Year’s resolutions few and simple. And then keep them.

– Jim Sturgill is a director of WorthPoint and founding partner of Sturgill & Associates LLP, a DC and Baltimore area CPA firm.

More Jim Sturgill Dollar & Sense columns

Tax Day: Mileage Pays

More Mileage Cents = More Dollars for Antiques & Collectibles

Estate Planning—Antiques, Collectibles & Greed

Estate Planning: Stop Squabbling, Save the Family

Financial Turmoil: Antiques Hold Value

Buy Antiques Now, Have No Regrets Later

Financial Turmoil: Antiques Hold Value

Gift Annuity: You Give, Then Receive

Make Profit Your Holiday Mantra

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

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