The past week has been an exciting one in the world of sports!  With the Celtics and Lakers facing off in the NBA finals, Wimbledon kicking off on Monday, and baseball in full swing, our minds are focused on the courts and in the fields.  But of course, the biggest sporting event of the past week has been the 2010 FIFA World Cup.  And if you're spending your days checking scores, streaming ESPN, and recalling the weekly map quizzes from your sophomore geography class, you're like us: completely immersed in this quadrennial occasion. 

In honor of soccer at its finest, we bring you this World Cup-inspired tip sheet for small business owners:

"Top 5 Tips for Scoring Your Business Goal"

1. Keep your eye on the ball: Just as Lionel Messi scores each goal through a series of carefully calculated and strategic plays, as a business owner, you must clearly outline your end goal before you can devise an effective business strategy.  Start by asking this: where do I want my business to be in five years?  Do you want to reach a certain level of profitability, open a new or additional location, or achieve a certain amount of customers?  Once you define a long-term goal, you can devise a strategy of several short-term goals.  Then, like Messi, keep your eye on the ball to guide you to your final goal.
2. The best defense is a good offense:  Don't waste your energy - tackle problems before they arise!  Today, more and more business owners are looking to energy efficient strategies to cut long-term business costs.  Consider creating an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) or investing in an energy audit to determine how an investment today can save your business thousands of dollars down the road.  Doing so will make your offensive play like Cristiano Ronaldo's. 
3. Run your team on good fuel: How are you financing your business?  Are you using costly services such as payday lenders and high-interest credit cards that will only drain you later?  Though pizza and beer are tempting options, World Cup players know that they aren't the best choice for high-performance and efficiency on the field.  Know the real cost of your financing decisions before draining yourself and your assets and trapping your business in debt.  
4. Know your competition: No good team goes into a game blind; they assess their competition and devise a strategy to, hopefully, triumph.  Similarly, a smart business owner will take a comprehensive look at the competition.  Who else is catering to your target customer, and how can you provide these customers with superior products and/or services?  Often times, a small business owner's greatest asset is the ability to provide excellent customer service!  Don't underestimate your competition, or you'll be flying coach like the French after enduring the South African defeat.    

5.   Remember the basics: As a business owner, you know that profitability always relies, very simply, on the basic principle of greater income than expenses.  Ensure that you know your business's true profitability by successfully managing your recordkeeping.  To begin, check out ACCION USA's online recordkeeping resources.  If you operate a more established business, consider using a tool such as QuickBooks or hiring an accountant.  Many business owners neglect this essential practice - don't be one of them!  Kaka and Luis Fabiano practice dribbling drills every day; perfect the basics, and you will see success. 

Keep these tips in mind to make your business like the best World Cup teams: lean, efficient, and successful.  Now if only you could add a stadium of cheering fans and vuvuzelas...