http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/writeabusinessplan/SERV_STRATPLAN.html
Accidental success, a compelling Hollywood story ingredient, is not as likely as planned endeavors to produce satisfactory results. A story in REALTOR, issue November/December 2010, about an agent who moved from financial services to real estate caught my attention today. Although her results appear impressive, I'm not interested in money she made, what made me pause was the URL http://www.sba.gov/ under the bold paragraph lead: Have a real business plan. Imagine that, the Federal Government as a resource for planning. The irony aside, the idea that smart information could be available for free on the internet made me look.
Whether starting new, starting over, or starting to get more focused, the business plan idea strikes me as brilliant. For 20 some years I planned a little and worked a lot; going where the winds blew and doing what I liked, and sometimes what I didn't like, all in the name of business. Looking back it appears the business planned me and I was a willing servant to the master. It's November 2010, the fall of the year and probably the fall of my career. Today I know enough to know what I do well, and what does me in. I'm making my plan and sticking to it.
The Business Plan Template from the Small Business Administration is eleven pages; not long but it will inspire deep thoughts. The promise is the plan will inspire the writer to tell a compelling story of their business, telling who, what, when, where, how, and why. My guess is "Why?" is not best answered as "Because I want to." When I am finished with this plan, there should be significant logic and discipline injected into the product.
What if I started a journey of business planning? Will I uncover a passion? Will I see what I has been hidden to me? "What if" is what keeps me getting up with the sun.
No comments:
Post a Comment