9 Pro Tips to Set Your Business up for a Successful New Year

The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect and recharge as you prepare for a fresh year of bookings. To help you get a strong start, we've gathered advice from vendors on The Bash and rounded up 9 pro tips to set your business up for success in the new year.

Chinua Unites is a Brooklyn-based private event and wedding DJ who specializes in creating custom playlists that blend diverse communities and genres, making each event truly unique. Brandon Kennedy is Celtic musician who specializes in Irish and Scottish traditional music, and uses loop pedal technology to perform multiple instruments as a one man Irish band.

Chinua and Brandon shared their experience on preparing for another successful year, including what motivates them, how they plan to elevate the client experience, what they will be prioritizing, The Bash features they plan to utilize, and more. Keep reading to get their 9 top tips for a successful new year.

Here Are 9 Pro Tips to Set Your Business up for a Successful New Year

1. Rest, recharge, reflect

Before diving into planning and goal setting, take a well-deserved break to enjoy downtime and recharge. Stepping away briefly will allow you to reflect on the year behind you, including big and small wins, lessons learned, favorite moments, and memorable clients, so that you’ll be ready when it comes time to plan and hit new goals. Whether you jot down your reflections or think through them, noting what went well and what could have gone better will help you set a starting point for next year.

"After some reflection, I realized that in claiming the very beginning of the new calendar year as my 'end of year' break, I give myself a fresh, rested brain when I conduct my business review & plan."

- Chinua Unites | DJ

2. Find what motivates you

Reflecting on the past year can help determine what motivates you. Were there periods when you felt more inspired that others, and what was the cause? For some, reviewing numbers, setting new goals, learning a new skill, expanding on existing talents, or simply recalling the joy felt by clients it most motivating. Identifying what motivates you most will help you set meaningful and achievable goals for the new year. 

"I love performing as well as seeing clients happy. They are often coming to me looking for involvement in creating deeply emotional memories, be it memorial services, weddings, celebrations, birthdays, proposals, etc. It is really a privilege to take part in such potentially private and important parts of people's lives."

- Brandon Kennedy | One Man Irish Band

"I enjoy reflecting on what made my favorite parts of the previous year so enjoyable.  Whether it's feeling the love from clients who were particularly grateful, DJing at venues that I couldn’t imagine playing just a few years ago, or seeing game-changing ROI from an app or gear purchase, looking at all of the wins and reminding myself that there could be bigger ones ahead feels great!"

- Chinua Unites | DJ

3. Learn how to keep building

Building on existing skills and offerings is essential to growing your business. Even if you are consistently booked, there are always ways to level up your business. Staying on top of industry and event trends, and adapting aspects of your business to fit those trends can help you stay competitive, stand out, and market your business in new and exciting ways. By continuing to build your business and adapt to trends, you'll appeal to party planners with different event types and needs, and most importantly, show that you're committed to delivering the best possible service. 

"Be proactive, but also keep investing in your business. It's difficult to reach the next level by just continuing to do the same thing you've always done."

- Brandon Kennedy | One Man Irish Band

4. Elevate the client experience

Every event and client is unique, which means there is always room to enhance the experience. The pros we caught up with plan to prioritize this in the new year through thoughtful recommendations, from other vendors and venues to additional services the vendors offers that the client may not have considered. These intentional recommendations help bring their client's event vision to life in a new way. 

"I use examples of things I've done for past clients to illustrate to new and potential clients how I might elevate their event. Oftentimes, there are things you can do for people that they haven't even thought of, or might have in their mind but don't know to ask for."

- Brandon Kennedy | One Man Irish Band

"For multicultural events especially, I've gone beyond mere playlist consultations to helping clients navigate how to authentically bridge different communities and generations through thoughtful music curation."

- Chinua Unites | DJ

5. Prioritize human connection

Human connection is at the core of celebrations. While some events involve months of planning and detail, the point of celebrations is to bring people together. That's why our pros will be focusing on the partnership with their clients. This means being there for clients beyond just providing their services, offering support, and being so excited for each event that they make the client excited.

Focusing on human connection also means prioritizing client visions and requests by taking the time to understand their goals first and foremost. Then, determining how their services fit in. This creates a stronger partnership filled with personalization, support, and collaboration.  

"I had a client hire me for a rooftop proposal. I went from simply being a violinist to helping set up candles, placing flowers around the area, tying their tie, and just being someone to try and help them stay confident and make the most of the moment. It might be obvious, but simply being a human being can go a really long way."

- Brandon Kennedy | One Man Irish Band  

 "I have learned how to speak different languages to different client segments.  Unlocking the human connection when working with corporate clients will be a top tactic for me to carry into 2026."

- Chinua Unites | DJ

6. Utilize The Bash features

Both pros plan to make a dedicated effort in utilizing The Bash features to their fullest, including keeping their photos and calendar updated, collecting and responding to reviews, and referring to the Member Blog.

Adding to your photo gallery or uploading videos from events shows that you are actively providing services, allows you to highlight the types of events you are booked for, and gives party planners a glimpse into booking you for their event. Keeping your calendar updated is another way to let planners know you are actively being booked, and for them to see your availability. Encouraging clients to leave a review and responding to reviews are also important for showcasing client satisfaction and your responsiveness. The Bash Member Blog is a valuable resource for vendor booking tips, feature information, and ongoing support.

"Professional pictures and video say that you take what you do seriously enough to invest in it, and when people see you invest in yourself, I think they are more likely to invest in you too."

- Brandon Kennedy | One Man Irish Band

"Photos, photos, photos!  Sometimes the most straightforward & powerful feature is the one that is most overlooked, it certainly was in my case.  Over time, my bookings had grown in number and in quality, and I had the photos sitting on my laptop, but I waited longer than I wish I had to actually update my gallery!"

- Chinua Unites | DJ

7. Identify your busy season and plan accordingly

Your busy season doesn't have to align with the seasons or holidays. As Chinua Unites noted, finding out what "busy" means to you can help you to identify your busy season and prepare ahead of time. Your busy season might be defined by a surge in bookings, a boost in requests, or maybe bigger bookings that require extra preparation. Reflecting on last year's busy periods is a helpful starting point. Whatever defines your busy season, getting and staying organized while also making time for self-care, will help you thrive.

"There is also an element of self-care I take really seriously, both mentally and physically. I always want to give clients my best, and that's hard to do when I'm stressed or not feeling great."

- Brandon Kennedy | One Man Irish Band

"In my DJing world, while busy seasons aren’t always exactly seasonally correlated, better gigs (ie, better in most ways that matter to you) tend to be booked further in advance.  Noticing clusters of gigs on your updated calendar months (and eventually years) ahead of time will let you know when to expect and plan around them."

- Chinua Unites | DJ

8. Keep in touch with past clients

Keep a digital address book with past clients' contact information, notes about their event, or any details from it that stand out. Make a point to follow up with clients to maintain the relationship and keep the door open for future bookings. Sometimes, just seeing your name in their inbox will remind them of what your services can bring to their next event. The end of a year and start of a new one is the perfect opportunity to reconnect!

9. Don't forget why you do what you do

Remembering your "why" can bring calmness and confidence to the chaos of a busy season or when achieving your goals seems far away. Aside from loving what you do, the impact that your services make on important life moments, and the smile you bring to clients and their guests, make the challenges worthwhile. Don't forget why you do what you do!

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We also asked both vendors for their top advice to vendors who are new on The Bash on how to stand out and get their first booking. Here is what they had to say:

"When it comes to getting your first booking, I’m a big believer in starting with the fundamentals.  It’s important to complete your profile.  Get that 100% completion, use The Bash blog and FAQ sections if you hit a roadblock, and then layer on top of whatever is recommended.  For example, while adding the minimum recommended photos is a perfectly fine start, adding to the amount incrementally is a good activity if you still haven’t quite nailed that first gig!"

- Chinua Unites | DJ

"The Bash is a fantastic platform, it legitimately changed my career trajectory. But you still need to do the work of having thoughtful engagements with potential clients, maintaining your profile, working with people on budgets and expectations, and establishing yourself as a professional, etc. There are many (many) fantastic performers, and you should always be trying to think of ways to set yourself apart."

- Brandon Kennedy | One Man Irish Band

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We hope that these pro tips will help you reflect, set meaningful and achievable goals, have a successful new year ahead. If you’re not already a member of The Bash and are interested in getting booked for more events in 2026, join our party! 

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