No one plans on failing but if you don’t plan for success that is exactly what you may get. The rough business plan floating through your head or jotted down on a napkin is not enough to give you the results you want. Look at your business like a family vacation, if you take the time to research and carefully map out your direction you are much more likely to arrive at your final destination, safe, on time, having enjoyed the ride.
The bottom line is that many businesses fail because of lack of or poor planning. It will take some dedicated effort and perhaps some guidance from a mentor, leader or other resource but when it is finished you be able to refer back to it on a daily, weekly and monthly basis for updates, rereads and as a source of motivation.
As business leaders, we spend a few hours of time with all our new team members within the first week of them getting started on their business plan. It is their plan, not ours. We ask a series of questions so that we have a clear understanding of what they are looking for from themselves, their business and their lifestyle. There are differences to the goals and dreams of each of our team members and as leaders we need to understand that a “cookie cutter” plan is not going to work for everyone. It is an important step in the first stages of your home business and we treat it as such.
Here are 10 questions to ask yourself when you are starting your own home business.
1. Where do you see yourself, your business and your lifestyle in the next 3 years? (Be specific and think big!)
2. How much time are you willing to dedicate to your business each week? Each day?
3. What office equipment or space will you need to give you the kind of work environment you are comfortable in? Additional costs?
4. How will you organize your finances for the business? Dedicate a bank account or credit card perhaps.
5. How will this affect your family? Discuss your goals and consider doing dream boards with every member to help get them involved.
6. What phone line will you use? What email address? Do you need a new planner or PDA or can you make room in your current one?
7. What new skills will you have to learn or practice?
8. What percentage of the business profits will you put towards expenses, vacations, savings, investments, continued education, charity, personal or family amenities?
9. What is your SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats)?
10. What kind of marketing campaign will you work with? What percentage of each: online, print media, local, warm market?
These are just a few of the many questions to ask yourself when you are starting a home- based business.
Just as important as the answers are the dates attached to them. When will you finish each of these tasks? Put a specific time and day on each of them. Keep your short- term plan in a place that you see it numerous times a day and take a few minutes at the end of the week to update your progress.
Business planning can be a great opportunity to dream. Give yourself goals that challenge you, are measurable and attainable. Plan your dreams into a new life for you and your family.
“An average person with average talent, ambition and education, can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused goals.
The establishment of a clear, central purpose or goal in life is the starting point to all success.
Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines.”
- Brian Tracey
Make it a great day!
Kenny & Erica Jones are Humanitarians and Online Marketing Mentors. Their Free Report "Trivani Secrets Revealed" will show You How to Use the Internet to Dominate the Home Based Business Industry While Saving Thousands of Children From Starvation. Get your copy of their FREE report at
GoTrivani.com now.
