The start of a new financial year brings fresh motivation to grow your business — but setting big, ambitious goals is the easy part. The real challenge? Creating goals that are realistic, measurable, and actually guide your day-to-day decisions.
Here’s how to set business goals you can confidently stick to (and achieve) this financial year.
1. Start with your why
Before jumping into numbers, take a step back.
- What do you want from the business this year?
- Is it more freedom, more profit, more structure, or less stress?
Understanding your bigger picture makes it easier to set goals that align with your values and vision — not just what you think you should aim for.
2. Review your FY25 performance
What worked last year? What didn’t? Pull out your key reports and look at trends in revenue, profit, expenses, and cash flow. If you didn’t hit your targets, ask yourself:
- Were the goals too ambitious?
- Did you get side-tracked by day-to-day demands?
- Were the numbers clear and measurable?
This step helps ground your goals in reality — and gives you valuable context for what’s achievable.
3. Choose 3–5 key focus areas
Too many goals = lack of focus.
We recommend choosing 3–5 areas to focus on — things like increasing profit margins, reducing debt, hiring new team members, or launching a new service. For each one, make sure your goal is:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Time-bound
For example:
- Increase net profit by 10% by March 2026
- Hire a full-time admin by September 2025
- Maintain a rolling 3-month cash flow forecast
4. Break goals into action steps
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Once you’ve set your high-level goals, map out the first few action steps you need to take. Assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and check in monthly.
5. Track your progress (and tweak as you go)
Your plan shouldn’t sit in a drawer.
Make time each month or quarter to review your progress. If something’s not working, adjust your approach. Flexibility is part of the process — not a failure.
Need help setting goals or building a plan that supports them?
We work with business owners every day to turn vague ideas into clear, achievable targets — and make sure they’ve got the numbers and structure to back it up. Reach out to us to see how we can help.