Entrepreneur New Year’s Resolution Advice from 10 of Fort McMurray’s Business Experts

With the start of a new year personal resolutions are all the rage, but are you being intentional about resolutions for your professional brand or small business?

I asked some of Fort McMurray’s local business leaders for their BEST resolution advice as we enter 2021 and here’s what they shared:

Judy Dredge ~ Owner of 9Round Fort McMurray “Don’t just build a business, build a strong community in your business. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Your business is your passion and it’s up to you to make sure you show your customers how much you believe in yourself, your business and them.”

Matthew Pate ~ Financial Planner at Investors Group Wealth Management “Engage with clients in a more meaningful way that goes beyond a specific product or service. It’s about what they are trying to accomplish, once you understand that, you are better able to guide the decision making process to their most desired outcome.”

Alethea Austin ~ Owner of Achieve Wellness “Be very clear with your own core values and to make sure you’re portraying those at all times through your personal brand….People will relate to you better if you are authentically you!” She added that your feed should be informative, and from the heart, and not to post randomly.

Kristi Hines ~ Founder and Director at Hines Health Services “Find a business role model and surround yourself with positive, like-minded individuals who have your best interests at heart.”

Melanie Antoine ~ CEO and Co-Owner of A.P.E. Maintenance “Don’t be afraid to embrace change” highlighting this quality as important as ever in the coming year.

Staci Millard ~ Owner of S. Millard Chartered Professional Accountant Mentioned that most businesses start from passions but that early mistakes in business can diminish the passion. “Consider all the time and money that go into your business (even down to the time you spend booking clients or doing taxes) and make sure you’re charging enough to make it worth it to you. The ‘price’ you are willing to accept may be different from others but if you charge appropriately from the start it will be a lot less frustrating than trying to sale up your prices if you start too low.” She added that this forward thinking will help avoid burnout and allow you to share your gift for years to come.

Shellene Dirk ~ Owner of Clearwater Physio Therapy “Don’t be afraid.” She shared that she just finished reading Daring Greatly by Brene Brown and that “More learning comes from getting in the ring regardless of the outcome.”

Jes Croucher ~ Owner of Pawâmiw Creative and the cofounder of the new Nistawâyâw Traditional Trading project says “Build a community around your business. Join the organizations that support your vision. Engage with members in-line with your values. Put yourself out there. You will feel supported and secure of your place in business if there is a community around you.”

Justin Herman ~ CEO of Chard Metis, as well as Founder and Co-Owner of Saskana “Patience and perseverance pays off and that’s easier to do if you’re doing something you’re passionate about.”

Tammy Powell ~ Owner of Supplement King Fort McMurray says “Tough times don’t last… Tough people do.”

Thank you to all of these amazing Fort McMurray leaders who shared their advice! Wood Buffalo is an incredible region to be an entrepreneur. I hope everyone is able to look at 2020 with some kind of growth and positive outcomes. Here’s to a 2021 that pushes you to dream big, work hard, and love the journey.