{"id":7120,"date":"2021-01-21T16:02:28","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T16:02:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=7120"},"modified":"2026-01-07T13:56:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:56:32","slug":"essential-tips-achieve-business-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/essential-tips-achieve-business-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"5 essential tips to achieve your business goals in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 essential tips to achieve your business goals in 2021\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2021-01-21T16:02:28+00:00\">21 January, 2021<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"5 essential tips to achieve your business goals in 2021\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/essential-tips-achieve-business-goals\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/author\/ashleyhindsmansage\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/02\/Ashley-Thompson-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Ashley Thompson\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/02\/Ashley-Thompson-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/02\/Ashley-Thompson.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Ashley Thompson<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Setting goals is a foundational step of building your business. Business goals are the motivating force behind successful companies of all sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They keep your business moving forward \u2013 and without them, you can\u2019t get from where you are now to where you want to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While most people know the importance of setting goals, achieving them is the hard part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other than your business idea, having goals is an essential ingredient in your company\u2019s success. A quick online search will yield tons of results about goal setting and what the most effective methods are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are many goal-setting strategies, what they all have in common are short-term goals, long-term goals, and a roadmap of how to get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll discuss the top five tips on how to set and achieve your business goals for 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#gate-22eaecb8-922f-4375-9c86-3ce8792a98f0\">Download your free guide, 7 ways to take control of your business, and take steps now to master your business admin <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-learn-to-set-business-goals-properly\">1. Learn to set business goals properly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To set a goal, you must first learn proper goal setting. It seems obvious, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, this is the area where many entrepreneurs get stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without thoughtfully created goals, you run the risk of spinning your wheels and burning out. It\u2019s better to pause and take the time to create your goals rather than rushing into it just to say you did it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most well-known method of goal setting is the SMART goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept of SMART goals was coined in 1981 by a consultant named George T Doran. Since then, it\u2019s been used by countless executives and business owners to grow and transform their businesses systematically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what SMART goals stand for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Specific:<\/strong> Vague goals won\u2019t work. Be as specific as possible. A vague goal would be \u201cgrow my website traffic\u201d. A specific goal would be \u201cdrive traffic to attract 500 unique visitors per month\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Measurable:<\/strong> Your goals should include milestones and metrics. An example of a measurable goal would be \u201cproduce two blog posts per week to increase website traffic at a rate of 10% per week\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Attainable:<\/strong> Make sure your goal is realistic. While it\u2019s great to shoot for the stars, seeing results is what will ultimately keep you going. Big long-term goals should involve achievable, shorter-term goals within them, which allow you to see quick wins, keep motivation high and maintain momentum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Relevant:<\/strong> Make sure your goals fit with your overall <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/write-a-business-plan\/\">business plan<\/a> and make sense for you to go after. For example, you\u2019ve determined that your website is an issue and it needs to be rebuilt. However, when you look at the cost plus all of the time and resources it takes to build a website from scratch, it may not make sense for your overall business goals. Perhaps editing and optimising your existing site would be more worthwhile.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Time-Based:<\/strong> Your goal should be time-specific and deadline-oriented. Deadlines will allow you to work backwards and see how much activity is needed daily to produce a result.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-clarify-and-commit-to-your-business-goals\">2. Clarify and commit to your business goals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve learned to set goals, it\u2019s essential to choose your goals and commit to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A common mistake is setting too many goals and then completing none of them. Becoming hyper-focused on a goal supercharges results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are several areas of your business that may need improvement, it\u2019s crucial only to pursue the most important goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make a list of the areas of your business you\u2019d like to improve.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>List them in order from the highest importance to least.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose the top two or three goals to focus on and make sure they\u2019re achieved before moving on to the other goals on the list.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>After you\u2019ve clarified which goal (or goals) you\u2019ll go after, it\u2019s time to commit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This may seem obvious. If we choose to go after goals, of course, we\u2019re committed, right? Not necessarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s easy to commit to a goal when it\u2019s new and exciting. But when reality sets in, you\u2019ll realise that the day-to-day demands of reaching your goal can be tedious and tiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Committing to your goals means sticking with them, even when it\u2019s no longer fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It means showing up on the days that you don\u2019t feel like it. It means following through even when your goal has lost its appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you choose a goal, make the decision that you will continue even when it gets hard. The practice of committing is a valuable life skill that yields success in multiple areas of life, not just business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#gate-22eaecb8-922f-4375-9c86-3ce8792a98f0\">Download your free guide, 7 ways to take control of your business, and take steps now to master your business admin <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-learn-time-management\">3. Learn time management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have your goal and the steps it takes to get there, it\u2019s time to get to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting started on your goals requires forethought. Remember, we want to avoid burnout and spinning our wheels on unproductive activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Time management is necessary to make meaningful progress toward our goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The freedom and autonomy you have as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/small-business-owner-issues\/\">business owner<\/a> can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have control over your schedules and decisions. On the other hand, you have no one to keep you on track other than yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The antidote to not having guidance is time management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An online search of time management could lead you down the rabbit hole as this is a hot topic that many entrepreneurs struggle with. Focus and prioritisation is especially relevant today with the ever-growing amount of technological distractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most well-known time management techniques in business today is called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EAynHZE-lK4\">Pareto\u2019s Principle<\/a>, or the 80\/20 rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pareto\u2019s Principle states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your activities. In other words, if you had a to-do list of 10 tasks, two of them will be worth more than the other eight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason why people lose productivity or don\u2019t accomplish their goals is that they procrastinate on the most valuable items and waste time on the less productive tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To put the 80\/20 rule into effect with your SMART goals, make a list of tasks that will help you achieve your goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then ask yourself: \u201cIf I could only accomplish two things today, which ones would make the biggest impact on my goal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those tasks then become a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only will this help with prioritisation, it can be useful for other areas of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many business owners, for example, realise that 80% of their business is coming from 20% of their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/grow-your-customer-base\/\">customer base<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising this allows them to double down on the 20% instead of investing time into less lucrative aspects of the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-track-and-measure\">4. Track and measure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve set your goals, how will you know you\u2019re on the right track?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right after you set your goals, decide how you\u2019ll measure them. Don&#8217;t begin to work toward your goals without a tracking technique. You want to be sure that your output is productive and moving the needle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can&#8217;t be sure of your progress without tracking. You\u2019ll also want this information so you can repeat your success in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reaching your goals is an incremental process. It isn\u2019t enough to set a goal and then regroup once it\u2019s been achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make sure you\u2019re headed toward your goal, you must create <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/choosing-kpis\">key performance indicators<\/a> (KPIs). KPIs are benchmarks that guide you along. They also enable you to experience little wins on your way to the ultimate goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To create KPIs, determine your goal and then reverse engineer the steps it will require. For example, let\u2019s say your goal is to produce \u20ac25,000 in revenue per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might determine that you need to meet with 10 customers per week to achieve your monthly revenue goal. To get 10 meetings, you\u2019ll need to cold call or email 65 customers per week to get 10 customer meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your KPIs will look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Goal:<\/strong> \u20ac300,000 per year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monthly revenue:<\/strong> \u20ac25,000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weekly customer meetings:<\/strong> 10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Daily number of cold calls:<\/strong> 13<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By looking at the end goal and working backwards, you can determine the KPIs you need to achieve it. KPIs will show you where you are in relation to your goal, but they\u2019ll also motivate you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Science has proven that we feel accomplished when we experience quick wins or check off small goals on our way to bigger ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we\u2019re just starting, our goals can seem vast and overwhelming. That\u2019s why it\u2019s more important to focus on incremental KPIs than the end goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-accountability-and-support\">5. Accountability and support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To achieve your business goals, accountability is essential. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to involve others in your goal-setting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you post your goals publicly on social media or share them with your team, you must let someone else know what you\u2019re working on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it\u2019s not your style to publicly proclaim your goals, having an accountability partner can allow you to have skin in the game without feeling exposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The point of letting others know about your goal is to feel as though something is on the line. If you keep your goals to yourself, it\u2019s easy to let yourself off the hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When someone else knows about your goals, you\u2019ll feel obligated to follow through and avoid looking bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing worse than someone asking you about your progress and having to explain that you didn\u2019t put in the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every business has different goals, but all goals must have a framework. Loosely made goals without structure have the lowest probability of being achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before haphazardly throwing out goals you think will move the needle, pause and think through a strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your goals must be adequately set, committed to and measured. Time management techniques and outside accountability will assist you along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most importantly, make sure your goals are true to yourself and your business. Your business goals don\u2019t have to be the same as others. Ultimately, you\u2019ll find more success going after goals that truly motivate you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">7 ways to take control of your business<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Want to know how you can boss it at your business? Read this guide for top tips to help you master your business admin and truly take control.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-22eaecb8-922f-4375-9c86-3ce8792a98f0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1289906599-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1289906599-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper 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srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/tag\/business-planning\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbusiness planning\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/tag\/business-strategy\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tbusiness strategy\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-17843 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-business-finances tag-business-planning tag-business-strategy business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1215\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-1215x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478370853-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-10T10:37:52+01:00\">10 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/budget-forecasting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tHow to create accurate budget forecasts: Methods, tools, and real-world examples\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tA budget forecast is crucial for any business, especially when facing uncertainty such as unexpected tariffs or market shocks. In this guide, we cover key methods and processes for effective budget forecasting, complete with practical examples.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-17798 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-business-planning tag-business-strategy business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/scenario-planning\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-872019580-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-872019580-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-872019580-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-872019580-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-09T14:23:53+01:00\">9 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">12 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tScenario planning: What it is, how\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0used, and benefits\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-17800 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-business-performance tag-business-strategy tag-data-analysis tag-data-analytics tag-inventory tag-inventory-management business_type-small-business 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class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-09T13:03:04+01:00\">9 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">14 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tUnderstanding ABC analysis in inventory management: What it is and why it matters\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-17773 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-technology-innovation tag-ai tag-artificial-intelligence tag-business-performance tag-business-planning tag-employee-engagement tag-security-fraud business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/ai-cyber-security\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-01T12:11:21+01:00\">1 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">7 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAI Is accelerating familiar attacks: What\u2019s changing, and how leaders should respond\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-17609 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-technology-innovation category-trends-insights tag-ai tag-artificial-intelligence tag-business-intelligence tag-business-planning tag-cloud tag-fintech tag-workplace-technology business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/sage-copilot\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1488918938-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1488918938-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1488918938-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1488918938-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-02-12T15:36:02+00:00\">12 February, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">6 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tSage Copilot: Secure by design, AI made ready for finance\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>5 Tips to help you achieve your business goals in 2020 Setting goals is a foundational step of building your business. Goals are the motivating force&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":281,"featured_media":6809,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[165],"tags":[260,262],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[316,230],"coauthors":[392],"class_list":["post-7120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-business-planning","tag-business-strategy","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Ashley Thompson","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2020\/07\/Khumalo-Mabuya-Chattered-Accountants_2019_Sage-Accounting_04.jpg","imagine_tags":{"316":"Business performance","230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/281"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7120"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7120\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/6809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=7120"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=7120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}