Early January is a rare quiet stretch—a moment when you can look under the hood of your business before the year gets noisy. A few focused actions now can improve cash flow, reduce stress, and set you up for steadier growth.

Here are ten high-impact moves you can take this month.

1) Close last year’s books cleanly.
Reconcile bank and credit card accounts, categorize expenses, and make sure sales totals match deposits. Clean books are the starting point for tax filings, pricing decisions, and loan applications.

2) Build a simple 13-week cash forecast.
Use a basic weekly spreadsheet: expected cash in, expected cash out, and an estimated ending balance. The goal is not perfection. It is seeing tight weeks early, so you can plan instead of scrambling.

3) Do a pricing reality check.
Review true costs (materials, labor, delivery, fees) and identify which work is most profitable. Consider one small change: a modest price increase on your highest-demand offering, a minimum order, or tiered packages (basic/standard/premium).

4) Refresh your pipeline in one afternoon.
Make three lists: past customers you have not heard from in 6+ months, warm leads who never decided, and referral partners. Send a short note: “Happy New Year. If you need help with X this quarter, I have openings.” Quiet outreach often beats complicated marketing.

5) Tighten your online presence.
Update your Google Business Profile (hours, photos, services), check that your website explains your main offer in 10 seconds, and make it easy to contact you. Add proof: testimonials, reviews, or before-and-after photos.

6) Reduce operational fragility.
Pick one key process and document it in plain language: invoicing, reordering inventory, onboarding, or daily open/close procedures. This helps you delegate, train, and take time off without everything depending on memory.

7) Do a cybersecurity seatbelt check.
Turn on multi-factor authentication for email, banking, and payment tools. Update passwords, limit account access to only those who need it, and be cautious with urgent payment requests. Back up important data.

8) Prepare for taxes early.
Organize receipts, separate business and personal expenses, and gather contractor information if 1099s apply. If you are unsure, a brief conversation with a tax professional can help prevent costly mistakes.

9) Set quarterly goals, not vague yearly wishes.
Choose one revenue goal, one operational improvement, and one customer acquisition focus. Then pick a “first domino”—a small weekly action that creates momentum.

10) Ask for help sooner.
Most owners do not need more hustle; they need clearer decisions. SCORE provides free, confidential mentoring and practical workshops to help with cash flow, pricing, marketing, and planning.

January is not about reinvention. It is about alignment. Pick two items from this list and do them this week. Your future self will feel the difference.

Visit https://www.score.org/ for more information.