The ball in Times Square has dropped, and the last of the holiday decorations have been packed away. It’s time to get back to business. As many people set personal resolutions and speculate on what special challenges 2003 might bring, business leaders are doing the same.

Sharon Coleman Johnson of the Johnson Group says her greatest challenge will probably be increasing awareness about her business and what it does.

“People don’t know what an executive coach is,” she said. “That’s a huge thing to overcome. There are more people without jobs this year than last year who have, unfortunately, not been provided for by their former employers. It’s hard sometimes to get people who are counting their pennies to realize that they might find a job more efficiently with our help.”

“I don’t think it’s much different than [last] year,” said Tom Porter, CEO of Porter and Associates. “Our focus is on retaining current clients and going out and getting a little new business. I’m trying to be realistic, because I don’t expect it to be a banner year. We just have to find a little new business, like last year.”

Porter isn’t the only executive trying to keep his expectations low. Many businesses are maintaining the conservative practices of the past year.  Phil Hodgin of Rennaisance Design Group said his firm is preparing itself for what may be a tough year.

“The challenges are probably going to be controlling expenses, investing in continuous learning and the cost of finding work,” he said. “We’re a little nervous about the economy, that this might be the year it hits the construction market. We work nationally, and most of the firms we talk to across the nation have already felt a significant slowdown. We don’t have any indicators to show us we will, but we’re nervous.” As a result, this year RDG has a zero-growth plan, something the company has never had before.

“We just have to find that sweet balance between keeping costs low and keeping the right people doing the right things,” Hodgin said.

Denise Essman, president and CEO of Essman/Cos., said keeping a competitive edge will be her biggest challenge in the new year.

“We have sort of been steady-Eddie,” she said. “We’ve diversified, and that’s protected us. Now we’re more finely focusing our efforts, as well.” Essman maintains the diversity of her company’s clients and services protect Essman/Companies from economic downturns in particular fields. Her resolution for her business is the same as her resolution for Des Moines this year.

“Stay the course,” Essman said. “Keep your eye on your vision, who you are and who you want to be. When resources are limited, one must do a good job of prioritizing. No one can fund everything they want to do. There must be criteria or a litmus test to make sure that what they’re doing is contributing to their goals. If it is not, they should let whatever it is go. There are opportunities knocking every minute, but we must choose what we want to do most in order to do it well.”

Johnson says, “I do have a lengthy list [of resolutions] for the state of Iowa and for Des Moines, but you wouldn’t have enough room for it.”

Hodgin said he and some partners at RDG consulted and set a company resolution together.

“We have resolved to do three things each day: do what you do, whatever your job is, really well; try to teach something to someone every day; and try to learn something from someone every day. We really want to create an atmosphere of learning in our organization.”

“Well, I guess my resolution is that it’s going to get better,” Porter said. “I sincerely do think we’ve seen the worst of the economy. 2003 won’t be a banner year, but it’s going to get better.”