Creating a Business Plan Can Be Easier Than You Realize

Who loves to do their business plan? Most people answer no. They do NOT like to “do their business plan.”

In all my years of coaching and consulting CEOs, business owners, and entrepreneurs, I can assure you no two people run their businesses exactly the same.

However, I will tell you that when it comes to business planning, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a one-person operation or a multi-million-dollar corporation with hundreds of employees, the foundational aspects of business planning not only apply, they’re essential to your long-term success.

So where do you find yourself with your approach to business planning?

I am confident it can be easier for you, when you follow a proven approach. Read on and see where you relate and get ideas to help you. Which of these businesses is YOU?

Case Study #1: Just Getting Started

We have enjoyed working with many solopreneurs, as they’re launching a brand-new business or idea. This particular client had grown other businesses, and now had an idea of something new he wanted to create. He wasn’t wrapping his arms around the whole picture of what he needed.

He originally picked up a copy of the Snapshot Business Planning book and was able to follow along with the steps outlined in the book to launch his new adventure.

Successful business planning starts with a clear vision; he had some clarity but needed to really expand on it and write it out specifically. From there, he found himself rolling through the eight facets of business outlined in the book, contemplating what he needed for each, with excitement and purpose.

His launch and subsequent growth have been astronomical. And he continues to return to the process to ask key questions and challenge his model.

Case Study #2: Stalled From Growth

We see this often. This particular client had been in business for ten years, and had a reasonable amount of success. However, her growth had stagnated. She was getting about the same results each year, and felt stuck. She was continuing to fly by the seat of her pants when it came to how business was being acquired, and even how the relationships were being maintained during and after the sale.

We called a “time out” on her spinning wheels and walked her through the entire Snapshot Business Planning process. She found her vision had changed, and that necessitated some changes in her Team Growth and Development facet. She was able to articulate her needs differently, and then identify what sort of support she was going to need to make it happen.

By putting that new support in place, and setting up systems for accountability, she broke through and reached her next level of growth – and then some! – within a year.

Case Study #3: Good to Great

Many times, seasoned businesses get complacent. Team members are simply going through the motions and aren’t proactively looking to advance their efforts to the Next Level. This particular twenty-year business owner was so busy working IN his business along with his team, that he wasn’t engaging anyone in the planning process and subsequently wasn’t holding anyone accountable to outcomes.

He brought us on-site to facilitate Snapshot Business Planning with the whole team, as well as to spend one-on-one time with each of the team members. Each person was given the space to share what they felt was working and not working, from their perspective. And that collective input then helped shape the time we spent working through the eight facets of the business, together.

As part of the process, the team worked together to rewrite their mission statement. Everyone felt ownership of the mission! This team was now working toward a common goal, with specific objectives and a renewed sense of purpose and an understanding of each person’s value to the whole.

What’s Next for YOU

Did you see some of YOU in the Case Studies above? We realize that each business owner and entrepreneur works differently. We know for some, having us come onsite to conduct VIP Planning Days is the best solution. For others, one-on-one coaching is an ideal fit. And we also realize we can only reach so many people.

I wrote the Snapshot Business Planning book with the intent to get the process out to as many people as possible – you can pick up a copy of my book here, and the audiobook will be coming later this year. We realized, though, that some people need a more hands-on-approach, and so we’ll be launching the Snapshot Business Planning eCourses in October. Watch for an invite to a special webinar, with some amazing offers only for those who attend!

As we approach the final quarter of 2018, commit now to going through the Snapshot Business Planning process and cast a vision for your best year yet in 2019. And certainly reach out and let us know how we can best support you on reaching your Next Level!

Not sure what a VIP Planning Onsite is? Read this article Why Your Business Needs and Deserves a VIP-Onsite to understand more about these.