The Plan

This entry is going to be about the plan! The business plan. As I mentioned before, I was asked to help another create her dream on paper. The business plan is one tool that is used to transform an idea into reality. I suggest that you do a few things before starting your plan. Go to Google and research business plans, Youtube is also a great resource for learning. I will give you a great secret! SCORE. Whatever you are thinking it is not that! It is an organization that can help you. It also has some great templates that can be used to guide you. I have a business degree and we needed to do a business plan when I was in college but….. It is very different in REAL life. I started by downloading a business plan and then modified it to fit my personal needs. Now once you have done all this you need to start. Start typing editing and typing. You really just need to get it all down on paper and then modify it to meet your needs. It is OK to change you plan as you go. It is also OK and encouraged to do LOTS of research on your industry, or service. The more you know the better you will be. Do not try to copy another’s plan. That’s not your vision it is theirs. This is not homework, you are not being graded, it is your guide to how you want and need your business to run.

Major problem that people encounter! DO NOT spend your life on the plan. Many people never seem to finish the plan. That’s OK. You should and will never finish your plan. Your plan should evolve as you do. Your plan should never be finished. That being said, do a first, second and maybe even a third draft and then START. Your business is nothing until you put plan to action.

The business plan took me three months to write and get right, or as right as I could before needed to move to the next level.

So far I have been able to go from start to finish with the business in less than 6 months. That includes moving two homes and waiting for kids to get out of school. I think that is pretty good. I am sure I could do it in half the time now. No, I am positive!