As we embark on a brand new year, full of hope and ambition, let us not forget the lessons taught to us by 2005; whether good or bad. The noted poet and philosopher, George Santayana, told us: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This is no less true for entrepreneurs.

The more research and investigation one does into their proposed endeavor, the less they will be caught off guard. This is an important part of becoming a successful entrepreneur. It is for this reason that financial institutions, angel investors and other backers require a well-thought out business plan before considering investing in a new enterprise. Yet, there will still be those little, and sometimes not-so-little, things that one must discover on their entrepreneurial journey. It is these lessons which we must learn well, using them to improve our blueprint for success for the next week, month, or year.

The approach of a new year makes us dig down deep and decide what we want, both professionally, and personally, but in order to achieve the success that we want in the coming year, we must be sure to include the lessons which we have learned from the past year. What did you learn about your industry, your workers, or associates, and yourself this year? How can you put this information to work, in order to achieve your goals?

For instance, did you discover that your services or products are considerably under priced? Does the past payment record of some of your clients require that you draft and execute payment policies and late fees for the upcoming year? Have you discovered that to get the best work out of a certain employee or associate, you must allow more time on the project? Did you discover that you are a notorious procrastinator, or that a lack of organization makes it difficult for you to stay on task? If so, you have discovered important information which can greatly contribute to your increased success in the upcoming year.

How will you use the important business and personal lessons that you have learned over the past year? It is entirely up to you. However, your ability to achieve your goals for 2006 may very well depend upon how well you learned the lessons of 2005.

Best wishes for a successful new year.

Roxanne Ravenel is the President/Owner of SOHO Support Solutions LLC, a full-service Copywriting & Virtual Assistance Firm. Her firm produces business articles and a variety of marketing collateral for small to medium business organizations and independent professionals, through strategic collaboration of a team of experienced copywriters and other professionals in a variety of complementary fields. Visit http://www.SOHOSupportSolutions.com/ to learn more about her firm