I am an attorney and trusted professional advocate for small businesses and entrepreneurs. My article, first published in September 2024, is particularly useful as we move toward starting a brand-new year. Each of us will generally pledge to do some things differently in the New Year. In this article, I share excellent thoughts for anyone reflecting on the past year and planning to improve and grow in the new year. Growing our skills is at the forefront of my recommendations. Here are some ideas…and how to fit learning into your busy day.

1. Read something every day

Many very successful business leaders are big readers: Bill Gates reads 50 books a year, Mark Cuban spends 3 hours a day reading, and Warren Buffet reads 500 pages each day. As Dr. Seuss said: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Forbes ran this article a few years ago on “Why Reading Can Make You a Better Entrepreneur.” The article makes the following good points:

• There’s much knowledge to be learned from entrepreneurial books. The information may be technical, a point of view, or just encouragement. For example, my book Smooth Failing offers lessons in what not to do so you don’t needlessly waste your efforts.
• The depth of knowledge on a subject exceeds what’s possible with other learning venues. There just isn’t time to explore something fully in a podcast or a seminar/webinar/lecture.
• Reading helps your brain. The process of reading creates new neural pathways, improves memory, increases vocabulary, etc.

Making time to read. If you’re thinking you don’t have time to read, think again. You can make time by giving up some of the hours spent on TV, gaming, or other activities. You can schedule time, such as a lunch break. You can read while you wait—at a doctor’s office, before your child’s game/show begins, or stuck in an hours long traffic jam. You can read before you go to bed.

2. Listen to podcasts

Today, there are many, many podcasts that you can listen to on various subjects. For example, one site says listening to top business podcasts enables you to:

• Learn from experts in the business world
• Stay up-to-date with business trends
• Gain management tips and strategies
• Stay motivated and inspired

Making time to listen to podcasts. The suggestions for finding time to read apply equally to podcasts. But with podcasts, you may be able to do two things at once. On my daily walks, I’m able to listen to a lot of podcasts—exercise and learning at the same time!

3. Get a mentor

Supposedly, the concept of mentoring dates back to Homer’s Odyssey (when Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he entrusted his son to his friend named Mentor). The name became synonymous with the idea of providing guidance and imparting skills—from mentor to mentee. You’ve probably encouraged mentoring in your company—formally or informally—by having seasoned staff members work with new hires; you know the benefits of mentoring. Perhaps you haven’t thought about how you can enjoy these benefits by getting your own mentor. This can be done in a variety of ways. Examples:

• SCORE offers free mentoring and claims that small business owners who receive 3 or more hours of mentoring see higher revenues and increased growth.
• Shopify lists 10 ways to find the right mentor for you.

An alternative to mentoring is business coaching. Usually, business coaches focus on more immediate issues facing the clients, while mentoring is largely for long-term guidance and support. Both approaches can help you learn.

Making time to be mentored. How to fit mentoring (or coaching) into your schedule depends on the situation. For mentoring, it may be a natural fit that doesn’t require setting time aside; you may just learn when you are with your mentor for other reasons. I was fortunate to have a wonderful mentor who I worked with for 40 years and I certainly learned a lot.

4. Attend trade/professional association meetings

These meetings usually feature a speaker, and through this speaker you may learn what’s happening in your industry. You may also talk with other members and find out some of their challenges, and how they deal with them.

Making time to attend meetings. Meetings usually are only once a month, so just schedule the time to attend. Often, these meetings are after business hours, making it even easier for some to arrange time. Those managing family obligations, such as raising children, may prefer daytime meetings. Your pick.

5. Final thought

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”—President Harry S Truman

Keep learning so you can run your business successfully. It takes effort to learn, but it can pay off greatly.