As 2024 comes to a close the enterprise value specialists at Ciebass know that many management teams are already neck deep into what’s next for 2025. But the most successful commercial landscape business owners will take time to pause, reflect, and “complete” the year.

“This practice of “completion” isn’t just about wrapping up tasks—it’s a strategic tool for improving performance, refining commitments, and building competitive advantages for the future,” said Tom Fochtman, Ceibass CEO. “To ‘complete’ is to bring the year’s projects, objectives, and costs to a definitive end. Examine what worked, what didn’t, and why. Rethink assumptions. This makes room for powerful new beginnings. To complete your year is a powerful practice that helps develop the skill of looking into the future and delivering on objectives for your management team. It builds company value, better organization and greater EBITDA.”

According to Tom it’s a chance to:

  • Fulfill the promises and conditions of satisfaction you’ve made to customers, employees, and yourself.
  • Reflect on outcomes and assess whether objectives and results met expectations.
  • Declare your commitments fulfilled so you can re-commit to existing strategies or design new ones for 2025.
  • Without completion, many businesses simply “keep going,” carrying the weight of unfinished plans, unresolved costs, and unclear directions into the next year. This lack of closure can lead to inefficiencies, reduced focus, and lost opportunities. Simply put, it makes companies average instead of best-in-class.

How do you “complete” the year effectively? Here are some thoughts from the Ceibass team.:

  • Pause and Reflect: Take time to evaluate your 2024 commitments—financial goals, customer satisfaction, employee development, and operational efficiency. Were promises fulfilled?
  • Assess Performance: Identify what worked well and where gaps appeared. How did your strategies deliver value and competitive advantages?
  • Declare Completion: Close out projects, objectives, and lingering costs with intention. Celebrate successes and learn from setbacks.
  • Recommit or Redesign: Based on your reflections, recommit to ongoing strategies or pivot to new ones for 2025.
  • Design New Offers and Actions: Create fresh strategies to maintain your edge in the competitive landscape market.
  • Communicate with Your Network: Share your new commitments with employees, clients, and partners to align everyone with your 2025 vision.

“There is competitive advantage in the practice of completion,” added Tom. It’s a powerful discipline that separates top performers from the rest. By strategically bringing the year to a close, you create clarity, reduce costs, and prepare for smarter, more focused action in the year ahead. This year, don’t just end 2024. Complete it. Position yourself for a 2025 filled with purpose, power, and prosperity.”