Change isn’t something that simply arrives at our doorstep. It’s something we create—step by step, idea by idea and with every bold decision we make.
As I look back on this year, I’m reminded of all the incredible strides women business owners have made in managing and growing their businesses and NAWBO members in the day to day and in shaping the future they envision. This inspires me to reflect on how we can keep creating the future we want in 2025 and beyond.
When we make time for creating in our businesses, we dedicate a portion of our day to developing new ideas, products, services, programs, strategies or content that drive business growth, rather than solely managing existing operations. Think about all the ways you can create and innovate in your business. Here are a few ideas to spark your creativity…
- Strategic planning: Analyze market and historical business trends, generational behaviors, industry needs, identify potential gaps and craft your long-term vision for your business. Create buy-in with engaging your team in this process.
- Content creation: Produce blog posts, videos, social media content or other marketing materials to engage customers and build brand awareness.
- Chess play: What are the key moves that create strong positional market share and branding? Brainstorm new campaigns, identify target audiences and create unique selling propositions. Study other industries for “novel” ideas to bring to yours.
- Process improvement: Analyze current workflows and design new systems to optimize efficiency and productivity.
- Innovation incubation: Explore emerging technologies, trends or concepts that could lead to new business opportunities. Study what has been tried in the past to see if it can be adapted for the future.
- Connect the dots: Look for patterns and win-win-win opportunities as you create. Creative business ideas can emerge if you can pause to understand how connections positively impact your desired outcomes.
There are incredible benefits to spending time creating—from differentiating yourself to attract new customers to navigating evolving market dynamics to boosting employee morale and fostering a culture of innovation—but it takes the right mindset. For me personally, I love creating within business. I do not consider myself an artistic person in the traditional sense. Though I can get really creative when dreaming about how to adapt a business or organization to stay strong in its current environment and to get ahead of the pack to remain viable. My best times to download this information is while taking time to wake slowly, wading in my pool and enjoying my coffee with some candles on while I start my day. Even on chilly mornings, there’s something invigorating about diving into the cool water. It clears my head and gives me space to dream big.
As women business owners, we often feel stretched thin, leaving little room for creativity. But carving out even small pockets of time can make all the difference. A few ideas for how to find more time for creating include setting aside specific time slots in your calendar to focus on creative tasks. Outsource administrative work to free up time for creative endeavors. Regularly hold team meetings to brainstorm and generate new ideas and concepts. Also, consult with industry experts or mentors to gain fresh insights.
At NAWBO, as we welcome 2025, we are officially entering our 50th year as the first business advocacy organization for our nation’s women business owners. There aren’t many associations that have stood strong for 50 years and had such transformative impacts on the women’s business landscape as NAWBO. We take this achievement very seriously and want to make sure we are ready for the next 50 years.
That’s why as a national organization, we are taking the time to create. In early January, our NAWBO National and Institute Boards and HQ staff are coming together for strategic planning to talk about what our women business owners need most now and in the future and how we can build on the foundation we’ve created over the past five decades, but also evolve it in fresh and exciting ways.
What does creation look like for you right now? I’m excited to see the incredible ideas you bring to life for your business, for your families and ultimately for yourselves in the weeks and months to come. Meanwhile, may this holiday season fill your days with joy, inspiration and the spark to dream big…really, really big!
Hauʻoli lā hoʻomaha (happy holidays)!
