No matter how much I recommend it, I get that for some, it feels like doing a business plan is just too much effort. If you fall into this category, the one-page business plan may be a stop-gap solution to consider. Vision and Values Whatever you do, don’t skim through your vision and values. These are the life force behind …
What the…. SWOT?
I thought most people had come across this term and understood that it was a natural part of a business planning process. Apparently not. I remember a jaw-dropping incident when a fellow CEO dismissed the necessity for a SWOT in his business plan. I was completely taken aback that a business plan could actually be done without one! It’s much like …
Business Planning – Core Values are your foundation
In a business environment, whenever core values are mentioned, there often seems to be a level of cynicism followed by comments along the lines of “another excuse for consultants to make a dollar”. I think it’s a real shame but I’m not surprised. That sort of response indicates some incongruence – where the values chosen bear no reflection on day-to-day reality. …
Business Planning Myth – “I don’t need one”
“Most business plans aren’t worth a thing – they’re false security! I’ve never had one! Broke people who want to be rich seek business plans.”* I saw this quote on one of the social networks this week and noticed that it generated quite a few hoorahs! After pondering for a little while about whether to respond as the lone dissenting voice, …
Business Planning – Clarifying your Vision
Getting your vision clear (and I don’t mean your eyes!) is such an essential part of the business planning process and yet to many, this seems like the wishy washy-est part of the process. Hopefully, if you are reading this article, you don’t need to be convinced of the value and are looking for tips on how to craft your …
What is the problem?
When is a financial problem a marketing problem and a marketing problem a financial one? Quite often in a small business, they are so intertwined that it’s difficult to extricate one from the other. This is the conundrum – which do we address first? Neither. In this situation, the “picture” has to be taken apart and completely reconstructed. Inevitably, the situation has arisen from poor foundations …
Reconnect with your business
If your business seems to have lost a bit of spark, it may be time for you to reconnect with your business. Re-visit your vision. If you have never articulated or documented your vision, now is the time to start. Think about why you started your business. What did you imagine it would be like? What was its connection with your life? If …
Why bother with a business plan?
Does it really matter? Don’t many businesses survive without one anyway? “Survive” is probably the key word in this discussion. If that’s all you want to do, sure, you probably won’t need a business plan. What’s the big deal anyway? The “deal” gets bigger the more you want to achieve out of your business. In simplest terms, a business plan is a road map which …