By Rieva Lesonsky

Ask a busy entrepreneur, “Did you have a nice, relaxing summer?” and you’ll most likely get back a look that says, “Are you kidding?” Summers for small business owners either mean increased business and trying to keep up with demand, or slowing business and trying to make ends meet on lower profits. Either way, when September comes around, most business owners are transitioning to autumn and everything that entails.

September is a great time to get back to business and make sure you have all your systems in place and ducks in a row. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Is it time to update your business plan? 
Maybe your business plan is a few years old or maybe you never even finished writing it. Take the time to go over your plan carefully and look for statistics or goals that have changed. Make an appointment with a SCORE mentor to bring your business plan in for a once-over by an expert.

Is it time to change your form of business?
Are you a sole proprietorship but looking to start attracting investors? Your legal status could turn investors away. Talk to your accountant, lawyer and SCORE mentor for advice on what makes sense for your business goals.

Is it time to hire more employees?
Maybe you’ve been making do with the staff you have but are putting huge demands on everyone. You could be in for a rude awakening if a key employee quits unexpectedly. Think ahead to forecast employment needs and how you’ll handle them. A SCORE mentor can help.

Is it time to change the way you do things?
I believe you need to shake it up once in a while. Have a staff meeting and talk about what systems need approving. Get input from everyone. Ask what you can be doing to help your team do their jobs better. If people are too intimidated to speak up in front of others, tell them your door is always open. Also get input from your customers. Put a suggestion box on your website and leave comment cards in your store. You should also have your business registered on review sites like Yelp so you can receive feedback regularly—and act on what you learn.

Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Follow Rieva at twitter.com/Rieva and visit her blog at SmallBizDaily.com. Visit her website SmallBizTrendCast to get the scoop on business trends and sign up for Rieva’s free TrendCast reports.