A Misplaced Focus

Rick Field, founder and owner
Rick's Picks
Artisanal homemade pickles
Year founded: 2004
New York City
www.rickspicksnyc.com

2005 Sales: Around $200,000
2006 Sales Goal: More than $500,000

What would I have done differently in 2005?
I was working on a pickled okra recipe with a smoked paprika brine called Smokra, but we got too busy to bring it to market. Next year! Thinking about Smokra was fun, but in hindsight it was more important to focus on our core products. Focus is everything, and I'm cognizant of spreading myself a bit too thin at times. Being CEO and errand boy comes with the territory in a small business, but sometimes I could have done a better job of letting certain things go.

New Year's Resolution for 2006:
Intelligent growth management is the primary goal. Having opportunities is only meaningful if you can take advantage of them in the right way.