I am a sentimental type, so I love reflecting back on all of the events of the previous year. Weddings, successes, trials and failures – you name it! There’s nothing like getting all sappy about the twists and turns of life.

But what I honestly enjoy more is the fresh start that the New Year brings. It’s a chance to look forward, to hope, to dream. It allows me to shove aside distraction and really contemplate next steps, both personal and those for my business.

As I was plotting out my goals for 2013, I worried that in the coming months these thoughts would fade into the back of memory. Whether I wrote them down onto a notepad, or saved them onto my computer, inevitably, the hustle and bustle of life would dilute, then erase, my best laid plans.

As a visual person I realized I’d need something beyond the typical spreadsheet or Word document for crafting my business plan if I hoped for it to stick. I’d have to find a way to articulate my goals in an aesthetically pleasing way – that would be the key. Not only would this help me to remember my initial ambitions, it would also urge me to review them throughout the year, checking in on my progress.

So I drafted my very own “DIY Biz Plan” worksheet that I could print, fill in, and hang in my work space. Within it I included a summary of the past year, goals for the next twelve months, as well as nooks for including things that would motivate and encourage me during potential slumps.

Rather than make this fun printout and hide it under a bushel – I’m sharing it with you! My hope is that you too will find it useful in planning the next year for your own crafty venture. Sure – it’s not MBA worthy – but it may just inspire you to take that first step into putting your ambitions on paper.

Wishing you a fruitful and successful 2013 for your beloved biz!