What were you most thankful for in 2012? [ANSWERS]

With 2012 coming to a close, now is the time to look back on the year and reflect on what the best parts were. For business owners and entrepreneurs it may be driving their business into stability or even beginning their business in the first place. It could be having a strong family or support system around you that helped you build your brand. Or maybe you are just thankful the tough year is over with and a new beginning is on the horizon? Either way, now is the time to look back and discover what you were most thankful for this last year.

Rescue a CEO and CEO Blog Nation asked entrepreneurs what they were most thankful for in 2012.

Taking my business to the next level

I am most thankful for the opportunity to take my business to the next level. A company that I have been working with to help my small business clients obtain funding has offered me the opportunity to become their first private label partner. This opportunity enables me to have a powerhouse behind me that will assist me in providing an exceptional service to my client base but also gives me the opportunity to have full control over my client. It also enables me to earn the bulk of the revenue from each client. An increase in the amount I earn from each client will surely mean an increase in revenue in 2013.

Thanks to Brittni Abiolu, Elite Business Opportunities Inc.

Having help in the transition period

I am a Latino woman in my mid 50's who decided to walk away from a very successful corporate career of 27 years and start my own company. I am grateful for the VP I worked for because we were able to negotiate a weaning off period that helped him find my replacement and gave me a chance to get my new business going with a safety net. It was a win-win and I am very grateful for that.

Thanks to Martha Soria Sears, SorSea

For the new opportunities

In 2012, I'm most thankful for the opportunities that entrepreneurship has brought to me. After starting my own company, I've had the opportunity to choose the clients I work with, the hours I work (which are still thankfully busy,) and kind of work I seek. Having my own company has also brought so many challenges – way more than I could have every prepared for. From billing to payrolls to searching for customers to designing a logo, every step of the way has been tough. But with each challenge came a chance to prove myself, and my company, and show what we could do for future clients. It's been a crazy, whirlwind of a ride, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Thanks to Flynn Zaiger, Online Optimism LLC

Thankful for my family

No matter how successful we might be in our businesses, I think it is usually family that makes us most thankful in the end. I am thankful for my two beautiful children, who are beginning to make it for themselves in this world. I don't have siblings or other family, so they are my family, and very previous to me. However, that said, I am also very grateful that my business has been doing well and that sales of my books has picked up nicely. There is still a long way to go, but things have improved this year over last year.

Thanks to Arlene Miller, bigwords 101

Living my passion and purpose

I left my full time job in June 2012 where I had been employed for 11 years as social worker in a psychiatric hospital in order to live my passion and purpose as an author/journalist, transformational speaker and coach. These past 6 months have offered the opportunity to travel and teach, write and speak and reach people I would not have otherwise. I see this as a springboard into 2013 during which I am expanding my horizons; writing a second book, offering more workshops and seminars, seeing more clients and living my bliss as I teach others to do the same.

Thanks to Edie Weinstein, By Divine Design

For family, company, and employees

As the end of 2012 is just over the horizon, I can look back over the past 12 months and easily say I am grateful for both my family and our company. A few years back I chose to walk away from the salary and vacation Corporate America provides and walked into a struggling family business. My mission: To grow a publishing company, OnLineBinding, from the ground up to ensure my parents and two uncles could retire comfortably. Our mission is to provide cost effective publishing, printing and binding services to the self-publishing author. After a few years of extremely hard work and daily “lessons” learned, we have had a year to celebrate. Our revenue has grown by 73% over last year. This has allowed us to add jobs, provide a few perks for the employees and a build a better bookstore for our authors to distribute their works. As the days grind by you can find yourself lost in the day to day activities. You do not take time to celebrate the success you have had through the year. I am taking the last week of 2012 to be grateful and thankful to my wonderful authors and employees who, without them, the success of this year would not have been possible!

Thanks to Cheyenne Knopf, OnLineBinding

For all the kind feedback

Aside from being incredibly grateful for my friends and family, for all of their love and support and for my health, I'm grateful for the emails I have received from all over the world thanking me for making my audition video. When someone writes to tell me that hey watched my video, applied the principles and then had confidence at their audition and GOT THE PART, it makes me feel so grateful that I was able to contribute to an actor's success. I'm also thrilled that so many actors from around the world, actors whose first language is NOT English still benefited from the video and wrote to thank me. For me it's all about CONTRIBUTION, so I'm so thankful that I've been able to help make the process of auditioning, which can be so daunting even for established pros, easier and actually fun for actors around the world.

Thanks to Benson Simmonds, Master Your Audition

Getting to be a service to others

In 2012 I was focused on strategies for growing my business as an author, speaker, and coach, until I was reminded of an important lesson. Miracles occur when I shift my focus from what I want to what the Universe wants. I do this by asking the Universe, “How may I serve?” The Universe responded in a big way and I am grateful for ALL the opportunities to be of service to others. As a Spiritual Life Coach, gratitude is not only a part of my work, it is a part of my daily life. The importance of gratitude is beautifully expressed by Rhonda Byrne, “There are two words that, when spoken, have the most unfathomable power to completely change your life. Two words which, when they pass your lips, will be the cause of bringing absolute joy and happiness to you. Two words that will create miracles in your life. Two words that will wipe out negativity. Two words that will bring you abundance in all things. Two words which, when uttered and sincerely felt, will summon all the forces and vibrations in the Universe to move all things for you. The only thing standing between you, happiness, and the life of your dreams is two words. Thank you.

Thanks to Christine Ferguson

Prices returning to normal

I was most thankful for albacore tuna prices coming back to more of a normal historical price. The first year we introduce our products – the price of fish almost doubled because of the tsunami that happened in Japan. That really took the wind out of our sales and almost caused us not to follow through with introducing our brand. Thankfully we decided to go for it and it turned out to be the right choice. Had the prices not come down, we would have been forced to raise our prices in a fragile market which would have hurt the brand and potential growth.

Thanks to Mike Babcock, Oregon Seafoods

Switching from Employee to Employer

I am so thankful that I made the switch from: Employee to Employer/Business Owner in 2007! It was tough getting my business off the ground, that first year, but once I got two or three contracts with local companies, it just took off after that! I was an employee in 2007 when my boss called me one evening and said, “Your services are no longer needed.” That was it. No warning, No notice, no severance pay, just, “You're out.” immediately applied for unemployment, but that only lasted 6 months. I bought gas with my credit cards until I got those first few contracts. It was a hard time, like childbirth, but the joy following is just out of this world!

Thanks to Gary Christensen, Christensen's Delivery Service