This is a time of change. Business changes, changes in leadership of our country, changes in the economy – they affect every area of our lives.

Now is the time to look at your business and determine whether or not you are ready to deal with the upcoming challenges. My own business has experienced various changes since I began it, and I am still in the process of tweaking things here and there.

I started out focusing on being a life coach, then I decided that I wanted to leverage my experience blogging about career issues, and do career coaching. At this point, my ideal clients include employed professionals, entrepreneurs and employees looking to transition into owning their own businesses.

I’ve decided to focus more on entrepreneurship because it’s in line with my business vision, which is to support women’s economic empowerment. So, in order for me to follow through on this vision, I have to take a look at where my business is now. How can I position myself to meet my ideal client and be of service to them? Am I prepared to put products and services in place to serve these clients and create a profitable business?

It’s easy to get caught up in the negative media and believe that an economic downturn means bad times for all small businesses. However, if you understand who your client is and what you can provide, you’ll be in a better position to prosper while others are struggling.

What are some things you can do to determine the state of your business?

• Do you know who your ideal client is? Who can benefit from buying your products and services?
• What do you want to achieve in 2009? Do a gap analysis to determine how far away you are from that goal.
• Is your web copy and social media profile in line with your unique selling proposition (USP)?
• Go over the financials. How are you positioned to weather the economic storms?

Tough financial times can inspire us to dig deeper to find ways to connect with potential clients. It can also be a time of creativity. We can turn obstacles into opportunities by thinking out of the box to create new and exciting products and services.

If my potential client feels they can’t afford coaching, then perhaps I can offer products such as e-books, audios and videos in addition to private coaching. I may even end up being able to reach more people (and make more money) in the process.

Seeing opportunities where others see roadblocks will help you to increase your exposure and explode your business. If you take a look at what you have to offer, and if you are willing to think in new ways, you may find that your business is in excellent shape.  Once you do a check on the state of your business, you may find that you are on track to make 2009 a prosperous year.