Business Plan Goals

Let's piggy back off last weeks blog about writing your business plan.  I spoke about writing the goals sections first, and reviewing it each time you start a new section of the business plan.  This will help you out by keeping your focus.
Your goals section should include everything you want to get out of your business.  I believe you should also write a separate goal section outside of your business plan that is just for you.  What do you want to get out of your start-up business personally?
I find that if I remind myself of why I am going through the trouble, heartache and sleepless nights of starting a business it helps me stay motivated to keep going.

Here are some goal ideas to get your started on listing your own:
"I want to have a list of loyal customers, for life."
"I want to be a leading innovator in my industry, paving the way for [fill in the blank]."
"I want to change the way the world views America through [fill in the blank]."
"I want to create jobs for life."
"I want to bring back great customer service."
"I want to [fill in your own goal here]."

These are just a few ideas, there are so many reasons why you might be starting your own business.  Personally, I wanted to start a business for reasons that only included myself and my family and then it grew into what I could do for the community.

My goals include:
Financial Freedom
Be my own boss
Put my ideas to use, outside the corporate cubicles
Guide and help others reach their goals through business start-ups

Now that you have an idea of what your goals might entail, write them where you will see them everyday. Review them, recite them and work towards them.

Happy goal writing!

Plan Your Business Plan

Writing a business plan seems daunting, or downright boring.  It's true, it is.  A business plan is all the boring stuff about marketing, financial planning and other boring writing.  But it is also an insight into your business, and will help you figure out what you need to get started.

You don't need to write up a business plan in one sitting. In fact, I don't recommend it.  You should really write it over time, revising and rewriting parts as you go.  The part I always like to start with is the goals section.  What do you want out of owning and operating your own business?

Re-read that section every time you begin to write another section, it will motivate you to finish your plan.

I find that using a pre made template is a great way to get that push and help.  To find some great ones, just enter "business plan" in the search bar and watch the results pile up!  I also like a couple that people have uploaded to Microsoft Word in the templates section.

Revise your business plan once you start operations, and every year thereafter.  Doing this will enable you to see where you are in relation to your goals and projections, and will allow you to create a more structured plan in order to continue operations.

I hope this helps, and if you want help with your business plan, feel free to contact me.

Thanks and happy planning!