Welcome to 2017

A new year, a new beginning… whatever you do for a living, January seems to be the universal time for reflection and February the month for taking ACTION. A fresh start. A chance to wipe the slate clean, develop better habits. Out with the old and in with the new. Like everyone else, I also put some thought into how I could make this year THE year. Better than all of the rest of them…

When I sat down and asked myself how I was going to make this year different and better, I found I had trouble articulating my answer.

It wasn’t because there was nothing new happening in 2017 (far from it – in fact, this is set to be one of the most exciting and rewarding years both Seybienne and myself personally have ever had!)…

Learning from last year…

When I reflected on 2016, I realised I finished the year feeling ‘pulled’ in a number of different directions, most of which did not feel like they were paths chosen by me. At least, not consciously. I also realised I finished the year utterly drained and exhausted (even more than my usual Type A fatigue). It felt frantic, as if there was one thing after the next and no time to appreciate the wins I had achieved.

This exercise of goal setting made me wonder to myself “How on earth did I get here?”.

I had achieved a lot in 2016 and had many successes… but the truth was that I didn’t feel ENERGISED by these achievements.

So what was I missing?

Focus on this year…

How do you know if you’re on track to achieving your goals? I realised I had started 2016 with the best of intentions (you know, world domination and all that) and then, somewhere along the line, forgot to check in with myself and got sidetracked with the million other things vying for my attention every day.

So this year, my focus has changed. I can accept that I will always have a lot on (the downside to being an “overachiever”), but instead of trying to do EVERYTHING, I’m changing my priorities based on what I want to achieve so that I could enjoy it more.

Goals: Are you committed?

I had a conversation with my personal trainer late last year which has stuck in my mind. I wasn’t sticking to my fitness routine and was feeling pretty flat and disinterested if I’m honest.

One day, after a lengthy diatribe filled with excuses about why I hadn’t achieved my goals for the previous week, she turned and said to me:

“Sounds to me like you’re interested but not committed!  Are you sure this is one of your goals?”

Ouch. Harsh, but honest (well that is what I pay her for!). For whatever reason, that particular day, the seed was planted in the back of my mind and started to grow.

So, what was it that I was really committed to doing in 2017? Not just lukewarm interested in doing “if I get around to it”?

The crucial question was: what is really important to me right now?

Instead of sharing with you the list I came up with (because everyone’s list is different), let me share with you the mantras I decided to apply to every task I CHOOSE to undertake:

• Simplicity – Does it streamline and de-clutter my life, and allow my energy to flow?
• Commitment & Focus – Will the task at hand add to my goals?
• Enjoyment – Do I enjoy what I’m doing? (i.e. if not, then why am I doing it?)
• True to yourself – Is it in line with my values and vision? (i.e. if not, why do it?)
• Strive for excellence, not perfection – perfection is misleading and subjective by nature. Excellence is achievable with room to improve!

And so, my lovely readers, with these mantras in mind, let me bring you in on just a few of the many projects Seybienne is COMMITTED doing this year… (and by getting it down on paper, you can all keep me accountable).

Slick New Website

2017 is the year we launch the new Seybienne website. For those of you who have been through it (or, *gasp*, do it for a living), you will know it is exciting and exhausting in equal measures. That being said, our updated branding coupled with the new products and services we have created will be easier for you to access, and therefore easier for us to help your business succeed.

Value-packed Newsletter & Blog

We have so many exciting tips and tricks to share that 2017 is also the year our newsletter and blog get a makeover. Both are designed to squeeze as much value in them as possible to help you master the technology and processes that keep YOUR business IN business. The topics we will be covering include:

Document Formatting Tips

Either you LOVE it, or you HATE it… but everyone knows that for a document to read well, it has to look great! For those who know my background, working with bid teams on billion-dollar submissions, you will be aware that I am one of those people who LOVES a well formatted document. Seriously.  In fact, if someone brings me a problem I can’t solve, I take it as a personal challenge to understand it and find a solution.

On a personal note, the tips, tricks, and secrets of Microsoft Word are what I want to share with you – my valuable readers. Why? Because what I know about document formatting will help YOU to create professional, clean documents each and every time.

Business Operation Tips

Having run my own professional services business for over 20 years, I’ve learnt a thing or two about operating a small business… usually the hard way. To help you avoid some of the pitfalls, Seybienne will include Business Operation Tips in our Newsletter and Blog, such as technology designed to make your life easier and ways to get process-driven and administrative things done in a fraction of the time.

New Products and Services

Towards the end of last year, Seybienne partnered with a company called Infusionsoft, which produces the most powerful automation marketing software on the market for small business. If this just sounds like a bunch of words to you, here are a few reasons you will love it:

• It will SIMPLIFY your business processes, providing you with FREEDOM from the chains of repetitive admin.
• It will CAPTURE vital information about your clients’ needs and wants so that you can WOW your clients and leave them feeling warm and fuzzy about your business.
• DISTANCE you from your competitors, through your clients RAVING about you and your business to their networks (= referrals).

In short, Infusionsoft has given me more time to do the things I really love to do, like spending more time with my husband, going travelling and writing newsletters and blogs 😉 The exciting part for me is that the alliance with Infusionsoft sees the launch of a new service line: automation marketing and process solutions.

Your database in the Cloud

If you have used our Access development services in the past, you may be really excited to learn we have now expanded this area of our business to put our database projects in the Cloud.

The opportunities this opens up for you is phenomenal.  No longer is your database restricted to local servers, intranets or just your laptop.  Now you can access your customised database on any device (iPad, iPhone, Mac, tablet, PC, windows laptops etc) from anywhere in the world.  You just need internet access and you are off and running.  Custom data management and reporting in bespoke turnkey systems now with Cloud-based hosting, and the possibility to connect to your favourite cloud based systems using API.

Expanding Our Fabulous Team

2017 will also see the expansion of our team, with new web developers, copywriters, cloud infrastructure specialists, marketing specialists and graphic designers.

One of my goals is to build a Seybienne community which supports people in business who have technology questions but can’t find the answers they seek. Each member of our team has a specific area of expertise so that no matter what your issue or the obstacle you face, we will be able to find a solution to help your business grow and succeed.

Above all, Thank YOU

Any business is only successful because of its customers, followers and supporters.  So thank you for your support over the years and for being a valued member of our growing community.

Till next time– enjoy!