I had to keep working hard - and work smarter - to attract more of my target audience.Beyond the quantity of customers, my true measure of success was really more about how happy I was making the customers I had.Their satisfaction would mean that future customers might come from what they had to say to their friends, family, and colleagues rather than from my research and marketing. Each one of these measures also requires continued attention, and influences the results of the other suggestions on the list.If I am not satisfied, then most likely my employees are not. It was a learning curve to find out how to balance satisfaction with results, and with my burning desire to do more.While it may seem like a strange way to measure success, it's really not -- given the fact that it's this learning and knowledge that provide you with the market, customer, competitor and economic intelligence to help shape your strategy. For more key performance indicators, check out the Determining measures can be tough work. This continual learning doesn't just come from what I've read or observed; it's also about practical experience that I've gained by putting my strategy to work and witnessing the outcome. I could let others take the lead, which builds them into a fantastic, trusted team.But, the biggest benefit is that it freed up time for me to focus on those strategic areas where I excelled, helping to provide a clearer direction for the company. Those pioneering customers were exciting to me, but when I began to see more and more people show an interest and buy what I was selling, I knew that what I created was successful. It only takes one negative customer experience to immediately put the skids on that true success number you built up and were having in terms of customer satisfaction.Continually looking at how customers are being satisfied every day through every point of contact they have with your company, not just with the actual product or service you are offering - tells you where a large piece of your true measure of success is coming from.Happy, motivated employees tell you a lot about your real success. There's no point in time when I've decided I have enough customers. If employees are smiling at customers, then the customer feels good. You don't get street smarts sitting on the couch watching T.V.The reason determining how you spend your time each day is a real measure of success is because this tells you if you have been able to delegate, create an efficient organization, and it determines what your main priorities need to be as the leader of a company. Profitability. Define your outcome. That's when it started to feel like I was finally making it.Every company needs customers. However, your true measure of success will be being in the black, for a year or longer. Project measures: These measures show progress against an initiative that has a terminus. The next step is to put your plan into action and manage the process as well as the plan’s performance. From there, your true measure of success will be creating sustainable profitability that continues long into the future.This may require tweaks in your strategy, ongoing assessment of your processes and costs to see where you can become leaner and more efficient. Above all, however, a good measure drives appropriate action. I think in a way, it's kind of like "street smarts." In every business operation or personal life, the need to measure growth is very essential. I know where to dodge the pitfalls and bumps - because I've seen them before.