Back to business: 5 ways to reset your business goals this September

As summer winds down and employees and business leaders return from well-deserved holidays, September marks a natural turning point in the business calendar. Much like the start of a new year in January, this is a time when many organisations re-focus their efforts, set fresh objectives, and energise their teams for the months ahead.

Whether you’re a business owner, manager, or employee, adopting a “fresh start” mindset this September can help you reset priorities and create renewed momentum. Here are five ways to realign your business goals and make the most of this back-to-business season:

1. Reflect on the Year So Far

Before setting new targets, take stock of your achievements and challenges from the past eight months. Which goals did you meet? Where did you fall short? Reflection isn’t about dwelling on mistakes, it’s about identifying patterns, learning from experience, and recognising what worked well. By reviewing your progress, you’ll gain clarity on where to focus your energy next.

Example: Hold a short leadership meeting to review KPIs and run a “stop, start, continue” exercise. This will quickly identify actions that need to change for the months ahead.

2. Reconnect with Your Team

The return from summer holidays is an ideal time to re-engage with colleagues. Hold a team meeting or workshop to discuss collective goals and individual aspirations. Encouraging open dialogue not only helps to align everyone’s focus but also boosts morale after the slower holiday period. A motivated, engaged team is more likely to achieve ambitious goals.

Example: Run a “back-to-business” workshop where everyone shares one professional and one personal goal for the next quarter. Aligning individual aspirations with company goals creates shared purpose.

3. Revisit Your Business Plan

Markets shift, customer needs evolve, and priorities can change quickly. September is the perfect time to revisit your business plan and adjust for the remainder of the year. Ask yourself: Are your strategies still relevant? Do your goals align with current market opportunities? By reviewing and refining your plan now, you’ll avoid drifting into the final quarter unprepared.

Example: Review your business plan against industry trends. If customer needs have shifted, adapt your sales or marketing strategy now rather than waiting until the new year.

4. Re-establish Healthy Routines

Just as individuals set personal resolutions in January, businesses can benefit from resetting their day-to-day habits in September. This might mean improving workflow processes, reducing unnecessary meetings, or implementing tools that increase efficiency. By embedding better habits now, you create consistency that supports bigger-picture goal.

Example: Try a “no-meeting Friday afternoon” policy to give employees time for focused work. Or adopt a project management tool like Trello or Asana to streamline tasks.

5. Reset Your Ambitions for Growth

Finally, use this fresh-start moment to reignite your ambition. Set clear, measurable growth goals, whether that’s expanding into new markets, improving customer satisfaction, or investing in staff development. Ambition drives innovation, and September provides the runway to set bold intentions before the year closes.

Example: Set a SMART goal such as: “Increase customer retention by 10% before December by launching a loyalty programme” or “Upskill 80% of staff with training before year-end.”

A Fresh Start for Success

The shift from holiday mode back to business is more than just returning to the office, it’s an opportunity to reset and refocus. By reflecting, reconnecting, revisiting, re-establishing, and resetting, businesses can harness September’s fresh-start energy to achieve meaningful progress.

So, as you and your team return this month, embrace the momentum of back to business and set yourself up for a strong finish to the year.

Further resources

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