Wait! Don’t run! We can do this!
The first time I thought about creating a business plan, I could not get my creative brain to admit this was a step I needed to take. I put it off as long as I could. Then I picked up a book on starting a small hobby business, and I decided to rethink my impression of a business plan. While many small business owners need a business plan if they intend to request loans or grants, there is another reason to put in this kind of effort.
If you are planning on applying for financial help for a small business, then you will want to take the time to develop a solid business plan as a reference for your financial goals. I’m not at that point yet, but I decided to develop a business plan as a set of guidelines to follow. I have so many creative ideas that I need to channel them somehow. At this point, I’m still gathering information from various resources so my business plan is still mostly in my head, but I keep a notebook to write down important ideas I want to include.
Depending on your needs, learn what you can about creating a business plan. I started out with an old book, added a new one to my collection, and found some online resources. Even if you don’t need a business plan for raising funds, you can still use it as a way to focus your aspirations. A business plan can help creatives like myself gather our wayward ideas into a cohesive approach in accomplishing our goals.
It’s okay to have a plan that you don’t follow exactly. Use it as a starting point and allow it to create some guardrails for you so you don’t get too far off track.
Suggested resources to use:
U.S. Small Business Administration: Write Your Business Plan
The Small Business Start-Up Kit by Peri Pakroo (NOLO Publications)
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Inspirational Verse for the Day:
There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21, NKJV)
All Things Subject to Change 