I’m sure you’re familiar with the phrase, “Luck favors the well prepared.” I believe pretty strongly in that. Sure, there is such a thing as dumb luck. But, for the most part, you can make your own luck — i.e. success — through hard work, self-discipline, organization and ambition.

This is true in just about every facet of life and business. From the sports field to the boardroom, those who prepare well and work the hardest usually win. So why believe any other rules apply to running a pizzeria?

Most of Pizza Today’s readers are hard-working, hard-thinking success stories. Our average reader owns one or two stores and generates $140,000 more per each store (in terms of gross annual sales) than the typical pizzeria. I’m proud of what our readers accomplish and am always flattered when Pizza Today is credited as one of the many reasons behind that success.

But there’s no such thing as too successful (Bill Gates aside). No matter how good you are, you can improve. Think about it, can you honestly say you have no weak spots in your business? Is everything, from menu design to dining room layout to food quality to marketing, absolutely perfect? I highly doubt it. Though we’d like to think otherwise, we all have flaws. And while it isn’t realistic to think we can eradicate every flaw, it’s certainly a noble goal.

There’s no better time to take a look in the mirror and assess our strengths and weaknesses than at the start of a new year. So, get started. Let this year be the year in which you pick apart every aspect of your business so that you can reassemble it in a smarter, stronger, more efficient, more attractive package. Examine everything from purchasing and receiving to restroom cleanliness. Discover your weak points and develop procedures to strengthen them. I’m betting many of the answers you’ll need can be found in the pages of Pizza Today and in the seminars at International Pizza Expo. But we’re not perfect, either, and we’re not so arrogant as to think we’re your only trustworthy resources. Don’t forget your suppliers and vendors. They know the industry inside and out and often serve as sources of information for us when we find ourselves in need.

As foodservice changes, your concept must adapt or it will fall behind. Running a restaurant is stressful enough at full strength. Don’t allow a weak spot here and there to atrophy the vigor of your brand. Identify them and strengthen them, and start now.