16 Entrepreneurs Reveal What They Look Forward To in 2020

Every new year brings with it a new form of excitement and anticipation. The reason is that every new year brings about a “newness” for lack of a better term when we are able to start fresh and erase those things that we did bad or things we have been thinking about doing.

For us at CEO Blog Nation, we get it. So that’s why we are excited about 2020 because there will be more and more entrepreneurs and businesses. There will be goals met and goals crushed and that’s why we love the new year and we know you do too!

Here’s something other entrepreneurs look forward to::

#1- Personalized service in marketing

I'm looking forward to a more personalized service in marketing for small to mid-size businesses. This means we target their audience with clear messages and a storytelling strategy that inserts the customer into the narrative rather than projecting the narrative to them.

Thanks to Danny Peavey, One Week Website!

#2- Employee engagement

I've decided that we need to make 2020 the year of employee engagement. When I look around the office, I see so many things that would be different if our employees weren't engaged and happy. Yet, this is something that you must constantly work toward. For example, ensure that you have modes of communication set up, especially for your non-office employees, so that everyone feels connected. And never hesitate to offer incentives for a job well-done.

Thanks to Alexandra Zamolo, Beekeeper!

#3- Spread of R+

R+ is the summary of advances in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Previously its implementation was limited to video games but thanks to advances it's now being used in many different ways. Among the industries implementing R+ include healthcare, manufacturing, and even space exploration. It'll be interesting to watch its use become even more widespread and beneficial in the future.

Thanks to Steve Foley, Bulk Memory Cards!

#4- Carrying the 2019 momentum

We have really hit this last quarter of 2019 with a bang, and are looking forward to carrying that momentum into 2020. We are looking to scale our marketing up by doubling our budget in the first quarter of 2020 and are excited to bring in more leads and close on more houses.

Thanks to Nathaniel Hovsepian, The Expert Home Buyers!

#5- The rise of real-Time CX

One of the most impactful things we are looking forward to in the new year is the increase in demand for real-time customer experiences. In today’s 24/7, on-demand economy, consumers want instant gratification and have less patience to wait on experiences. This has led to the creation of innovative solutions to meet the needs of consumers such as Uber.

Thanks to Eric Schurke, VoiceNation!

#6- Presenting my book to the world

As a lifelong entrepreneur, there are few things more satisfying than being able to share what you know in a meaningful and impactful way. After building Georgia's #1 real estate company, I stepped out of my role to focus on new changes and opportunities. For the past two years I have been writing a book on the lessons I've learned on how to live an amazing life, and I am thrilled to report that my book will launch in May of 2020. It's titled, F-IT-LESS: 18 F Words to Reframe and Repurpose Your Life. I've always wanted to write a book, but I never realized how difficult it would be. And while I have been focused on imparting some hard-earned wisdom, writing this has taught me more than I ever imagined. I couldn't be more proud or more excited about presenting this project to the world in the coming year.

Thanks to Shaun Rawls

#7- Two things

We look forward to the continued expansion of tech in Chicago and helping companies meet their growing need for a more diverse workforce. Multiple firms have already reached out to our team looking to hire 20-30 new entry level sales staff, and diversity and inclusion are top priorities. That is huge for us and Chicago's underrepresented communities because one of our primary goals for 2020 is to further support our social return on investment by doubling the $3M+ in salaries we've already helped candidates earn that helps lift up their families and neighborhoods.

Thanks to Shelton Banks, re:work training!

#8- A fresh start

There is nothing like a new year, a new mindset, and a new attitude a new start in January! Taking everything I have accomplished, learned and failed as my learning experience for this year and making new implementations in the new year is truly a fabulous opportunity for growth as a persona and entrepreneurial spirit! My business is growing and I look forward to all the greatness that is before me!

Thanks to Lisamarie Monaco, InsuranceForBurial.com!

#9-November 4th

For me #1 is November 4th, the election is such a distraction and causes uncertainty in the financial markets which is tough for small businesses. The next 11+ months are going to be filled with political ads, robocalls, and lots of noise but when Nov 4th hits we can all get back to work full time and move on! I think the new streaming services, 5G and other new technologies will be exciting too but until the election is behind us I find it is just hard to focus.

Thanks to Paige Arnof-Fenn, Mavens & Moguls!

#10- Level up marketing by leveraging more communication channels

I relied on email marketing for a long time and still doing it. However, the statistics were surprising for me this year. My subscribers increased by 10%, and the email opening rate decreased by 4%! It seems like channels of communication are growing, and it is not the right approach to target potential buyers only at one channel. I am to leveraging more communication channels in 2020. Two main channels on my to-do-list are chatbots and push notifications software. Along with these, I would also consider other ways to reach out to potential clients and generate more leads.

Thanks to Jeremy Ong, HUSTLR!

#11- E-Commerce Becoming Even More Successful

Global e-commerce is expected to reach around 5 trillion according to Statista. Moving into 2020 Personalization trends will become even more prominent in 2020 as this is a strong factor in what sets your company from competitors. Video content will also play a huge role in e-commerce in 2020 as we're now immersed in a world of influencers.

Thanks to Andy Aranda, Breazy!

#12- Making events and tradeshows the number one gathering place

2020 has always seemed liked a distant year and milestone, but it is now here, and we are celebrating a new decade! We are looking forward to making sure that events and tradeshows are still the number one place for people to gather, share ideas and meet in person. Technology is great, but we think more and more people in 2020 will see the value in getting together and putting their phones down to have real conversations and meaningful dialogues across a table or a tradeshow booth.

Thanks to Chris Young, T3 Expo!

#13- Continue the conversation around CBD

Here at Colette, we want every woman to have the opportunity to feel comfortable and confident in her health routines. I've listened to my close girlfriends and fellow moms speak in whispers about their cannabis use, often embarrassed to admit they use CBD or THC for fear of judgement. We're not here to judge. Our job is to provide women with the necessary tools to define their own ways to shine. The landscape is flooded with CBD products right and there's so much disinformation floating out there, it can be overwhelming for people. Our goal is to create a space that bridges the gap between the cannabis industry that we’ve come to respect so highly with women from all walks of life.

Thanks to Marie Evans, Colette!

#14- Our company's growth and opportunity

I'm excited about the growth and opportunity of our company. I know that we have always focused on customer service and innovation, and I'm so excited to see what the next 10 years brings relative to our team, customers, and business. 2020 will be a year of further learnings, opportunities, and continued positive change.

Thanks to Deborah Sweeney, MyCorporation.com!

#15- Designing a new decade!

Every new year is a clean slate of personal and professional growth opportunities, but a new decade, especially one entitled 2020 deserves even more thought, attention and commitment. Designing a new decade suggests that you can curate, create, and manifest this next year and this next ten years. It is empowering to take ownership of the year/years ahead, to drive and live the legacy you want in the moment. If you get to choose, then doesn’t success become a habit? The question to ask now is What is your #2020vision4change? Taking ownership of the year and the decade ahead requires creating new habits based on your own successes. Think back to January 2010. What successes and wins from the past 10 years, and specifically 2019 can you recollect? Take a moment to document your accomplishments. You may tend to focus on what you did not get done, where you did not succeed, so spend a few minutes creating a written sizzle reel regarding what went well. Now lean into those successes. Circle 3-5 wins that you are really are proud of. What can you do next year that will continue that momentum? What opportunities to design a new year and a new decade exist? Use this as a tool for each month of the year ahead. What new successes did you manifest? How can you play them forward? For myself, this is an especially powerful exercise. Ten years ago, I began my own personal pivot. I was not yet an entrepreneur, I had not even given a thought to becoming a coach or a speaker. Now, six years into my reinvent, I support others in successfully building out change and renewal. The journey of the past decade fuels and excites the journey ahead!

Thanks to Randi Levin, Randi Levin Coaching!

#16- Exercise of freedom

I think the thing I am most looking forward to next year is the exercise of freedom our elections bring with them. Oh, sure, I get tired and a bit bogged down in all the campaigning, especially when it gets ugly, but knowing that my staff, my patients, and I can all express our opinions and desires, can have some say in choosing our next leaders, from city hall to the White House, is reason for excitement. I also like the fact that though many of us may disagree as to the right person for the job, it doesn't affect our working or personal relationships. We are free to choose peacefully and purposefully.

Thanks to Dr. Mike Golpa, G4 by Golpa!

What things are you looking forward to next year? Tell us in the comments below. Don’t forget to join our #IamCEO Community.