Written by: Janice Rudkowski

For as long as I can remember, back-to-school or September has meant the start of a new year. It’s a time to organize, clean, take inventory and start fresh.  As a grade school student, the back-to-school ritual of buying new clothes and stocking up on school supplies created feelings of excitement and anticipation.

University was a whole different ball game. Enrolled in Ryerson University’s School of Fashion, school supplies included a black plastic tool box with a yellow handle filled with exacto-knives, drawing instruments, paint brushes of every size, fabric cutting scissors and a rainbow of acrylic paint tubes. One could easily spot a Ryerson Fashion Student back then, since we carried huge black portfolio cases to hold the many different sizes of foam core, paper and boards we needed for our 30 weekly hours of classes. Fashion Students are not so easy to spot anymore, since in this digital age “school supplies” now means a laptop, an iphone and perhaps a messenger bag to tote them around campus.

Having been a student for 20 years of my life, it’s no wonder that the back-to-school ritual has instilled annual feelings of anticipation. September for me now inevitably means cleaning out my closet, planning my fall wardrobe purchases and making plans for the “year” ahead.

In business as in our personal lives, September is the opportune time to evaluate business plans, look at our teams and ensure we have the best people and strategies in place to accomplish our short and long term goals. The process can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task; one that can be postponed yet again until next quarter. But, taking the time to really look at your business with fresh eyes and a new perspective are essential to growing and evolving your business.

So, this September I challenge you to look closely at your team, your business and your growth objectives.   Dust off that that seed of an idea that is filed in the folder marked “Notes from 2011 Team Meeting” and run with it, develop it and use it to reinvigorate your business, your team and set an inspiring path to growth. No more procrastinating.  It's September and there’s no time like the present.