Smashing Our Goals For 2023

Woosh. 

That was the sound of another absolute curveball of a year flying by us. There were highs and there were lows. But, hey, we made it. We asked the Adesso team to reflect on 2022 and tell us what their biggest win was. They all had the same answer: perseverance. 

Abdul Ahmed, Founder & CEO, shares that the biggest win for 2022 for him was the team’s resilience and creativity to get through the year and not just survive but thrive. We opened our Calgary Farmers' Market as well as locked in our new Mardaloop Store. 

Lucas Anderson, Co-Founder & VP of Operations, expressed “We'll be going into the new year with the knowledge that whatever comes our way, we can face it head-on.” 

Ayaz Raja, Founder & Creative Director, adds “We never give up and we love what we do.” This past year taught them all lessons in their unwavering commitment to the business. He says, “we believe in our products, our brand and our customers.”

Abdullah, Retail & Operations Manager shares, two more big wins for Adesso: the new locations. Opening up at the Calgary Farmers Market West and Mardaloop was a big leap forward for the business. The other biggest win of 2022 besides work has been, Argentina National Team winning the FIFA World Cup after 20 years. “This was my dream and every other individual who was waiting for Lionel Messi to win his first world cup and complete his career!”

When asked about next year, Abdullah is excited about the brand and his teammates achieving success in every way. Of course, in true Adesso fashion, he says “we will keep moving forward and keep grinding ‘till we max out.”

With 2022 behind us, how will we smash 2023 out of the ballpark? Well, we have a two-step guide for you. 

STEP #1. WRITE IT OUT

What does 2023 look like for you? What would you like to incorporate more of into your life? 

Our founders wanted to focus on themselves in the new year. This is something we can all relate to. When we are good to ourselves, everything else seems to fall into place. 

For Ayaz, that means reading, praying, working out and eating healthy. 

Abdullah wants to be more active and outdoorsy.

For Lucas, it means getting more organized and finding that work-life balance. 

Abdul shares “In the new year I am looking forward to opening our new Mardaloop location and expanding our product offerings. We miss coming out with new Adesso-branded products and I can't wait to create them. The last few years were tough and we really had to put a halt on product development but in 2023 we will be dropping some new collections which we can't wait for. I am also looking forward to some stability and really establishing ourselves in the Calgary community while growing our brand regionally and nationally through our partnerships.”

Imagine 2023 is your year. The year you achieve everything you have been hoping for, what does that look like? 

Okay, write that down. 

STEP 2. MAKE THEM HAPPEN

This is the most important step. Antoine De Saint-Exupery says “a goal without a plan is just a wish.” So, here’s the plan. 

First, ensure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. This is called the S.M.A.R.T method. 

For example, if your goal is to read more, this could be rephrased as “I want to read five non-fiction novels in 2023”.

• It specifies genre, length and quantity;
• It’s measured by reading a book from start to finish;
• Five is an attainable number;
• It remains relevant to the overall desire to focus on yourself; and
• It’s time bound to the year 2023.

Second, break it down using the ladder technique. With your goal at the top of the ladder and each ladder rung being a step to get there. 

To read five books, you have to start with one. To read the first book, you must purchase/download/borrow the book. Set a date in your calendar to take this step as well as a date to complete the first 100 pages. Repeat this until your goal is broken down into easy, manageable steps. 

Though this may seem like a tedious process, it will help you hold yourself accountable. 

This process works for those bigger dreams too. Maybe you’re in a spot Abdul Ahmed, Ayaz Raja, and Lucas Anderson found themselves a few years ago: wanting to start a business.

Lucas’ advice? “Do it." He says, “start small and start with a baseline product to sell - that way you can gauge the market and pivot from there.”

Abdullah seconds that, “yes, for sure, go for it. Do what you want in life.” He adds, “Just take 1 step at a time and never jump ahead for faster and easier results. Take your time and be patient.”

Abdul expresses advice would be to always look to solve a problem and make an impact. “Trends change but real solutions last. Focus on a real pain point and look to create value for people through every aspect of your business. Lastly, you can't do everything alone so really focus on finding the right people to work with as well as mentors who can guide you.”

Check out Adesso’s top two recommended books for budding entrepreneurs:

• Traction by Gino Wickman
• The Lean Start-Up by Eric Ries

Ayaz shares building a business takes time so try not to feel defeated if it doesn’t go your way. “You just need to work through it and persevere.”

That’s it! You have set yourself up for a successful 2023. 

Last year may have had some curveballs, but next year is going to have some big home runs. 

From all of us at Adesso, we wish everyone an amazing 2023 and thank every one of you for yet another successful year and can’t wait for what's to come in the new year!