Stepping into a new year has most people looking forward to a fresh start and the opportunity to make changes in their personal and professional life. When it comes to business, the types of changes I'm interested in are the ones that will bump up the bottom line for my clients and myself.

This post is not about New Year's resolutions, it's about transformations.

Over the past 6 months, I've been transitioning from an in-house Director of Marketing for a single company to a Marketing Consultant/Coach with multiple clients. It was a personal choice and something I've always dreamed of - being my own boss and making my own way. Probably the reason I'm attracted to small business owners. There is something special and inspiring about a person who has the drive, courage and determination to put it all on the line in order to make their dreams a reality.

"People sabotage themselves because the alternative is to put themselves into the world as someone who knows what they are doing." - Seth Godin.

The great Mr. Godin perfectly put into words what holds many of us back from reaching our full potential. Fear. I force myself to be acutely aware of this and have been taking steps since the end of last year to rethink how I am shaping my business. For me, this means putting myself out there in situations that I (as an introvert) am very uncomfortable with. I know that this is how I will grow and become the person that I want to be. This is why my word for 2017 is: BRAVE.

When you run your own business, you must be brave. Being brave can mean many things. Maybe it's gathering up all of your inner strength to say yes to a public speaking opportunity or it can also be as simple as taking a hard look at your methods/processes and trying something new.

I encourage and challenge you to throw out that list of New Year's resolutions and instead find your one word for this year. Let it become a part of a personal mantra to help push you towards positive change for yourself and your business. You can do this!

Cheers to a transformative and exciting 2017!

-Arica