New Horizons

Someone I consider a friend, is venturing off into the great unknown of starting her own business. However, she has been here before just in a different form.

It can be very daunting taking this step to owning your own business. You have this wonderful idea, great service or product you want to provide to the community. Certain schools of thought would say you should review the market first and determine whether the market wants or needs what you want to deliver. Is there a gap?

Conducting this review is really a part of creating your business plan. Yes, it had to be said. The dreaded business plan. They may not be the most exciting things in the world but they can be very helpful when produced properly and implemented.

I’m the first to admit that I didn’t do everything right or put everything into place when I started my business. If the truth be known I’m still reviewing and changing things. That’s the nature of business. I have had the privilege of working with businesses who never had a business plan, on paper anyway, yet have been successful for a very long time before reaching a time when a business plan was necessary for the future of the business.

My very first business plan was one which spoke a lot about what you wanted to have and where you wanted to be but didn’t have the how. You actually need a strategy and the actions to be taken for you to have half a chance of achieving what you want.

Any time is a good time to sit down and review your business and where you want to take it next. However, the New Year must be one of the most ideal times to create or review the plan for your business. You’re fresh from having some time off (hopefully you have had time off!) and you’re keen to get on with another year albeit more successful than the last one.

What do you want 2019 to be for your business? How are you going to make it happen?