Begin Anywhere

Birthing a business is full of contrast. There are extreme highs fueled by a fierce focus and determination to get everything launched, mixed with a storm of doubt, procrastination and oftentimes paralyzing fear!

Should I have a full business plan or can I wing it? Do I need a website? Do I need Facebook AND Instagram? Will people even follow me? HOW will I get people to follow me? Should I incorporate? Do I have enough to offer? Do I know what I’m doing? LOL

The simple answer is to simply BEGIN. 

Seriously, just begin. You have to start somewhere and honestly as daunting as writing a business plan can be. It truly is a good starting point for you to be able to get all of the guts of your business out of your head and on paper. Then it forces you to ask yourself some difficult questions that you might not have all the answers to but that’s also when you get to prove to yourself that you actually ARE the expert in whatever it is you are trying to do!

It’s exhilarating and daunting but it’s necessary to make sure you are setting yourself up for success. So what things should you include in your business plan? Well it ranges from simple 5-point plans to VERY comprehensive 10-point plans, depending on the complexity of your business and the length of your attention span. 

At a minimum, any business plan should have the following:

• Mission Statement

• Business Overview

• Company Organization/Structure

• Market Overview

• Products/Services Description

• Marketing Plan

• Financial Projections
  

Don’t think of your business plan as static. It should grow and evolve as you do but it is helpful to check back in and evaluate your plan, if it is working for you and what you need to adjust.