Are We Having Fun Yet?Running a small business can be more challenging than running a big one. Why? Because the typical small business operator has to wear many hats that would otherwise be worn by a big team of specialists in a large company.
No matter how big or small your business is, YOU are the GENERAL MANAGER. That's a BIG JOB.
Making enough money to survive and (hopefully) prosper is a simple formula, right? You either sell more or spend less...simple! Well, those of us in business know it's not quite that easy. It's a very large 'balancing act' and it just ain't easy!
But, it can (and should) be fun. In this series of short articles, we'll examine some aspects of running a business and maybe even introduce an idea or two that might be worth considering for YOUR business.
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BIG Ideas for Small BUSINESS!
BUSINESS PLANNING
Part 1 - Why Bother?
Have you ever seen a symphony orchestra performing without sheet music and a conductor? Or maybe a pro hockey team heading out on the ice without knowing which positions each player is going to occupy? How about setting out on a road trip without knowing where you're going?
We Usually Know Where We're Going!
Ridiculous, right? Not really. Those examples all point to the subject of planning. Think of planning in the context of the road trip. Before you head out the door to go somewhere, you usually have a pretty good idea of where you're going, right? If it's a trip to the big city, you already know when you're leaving, where you'll be staying, what you'll be doing when you get there, and how much it will cost. Now apply that same type of detailed thinking to your business, every day, and you'll begin to see how it might fit.
Planning does not come naturally to most people – it must be learned and worked at, constantly. Many business operators will try to avoid planning - “I haven't got time” is one of the most often heard reasons for putting it off. “Why plan? Things are going fairly well” is another one.
Things Just Keep Changing, Don't They?
The problem is, all businesses operate in a “dynamic environment”, which simply means that things all around you are changing, constantly. If you have no plan to keep your business on course, you begin to sink to the level of reacting to changes. If these (negative) changes become intense enough, you could find yourself in the “out of control” zone.
Simply put, planning is the way you can guide your destiny. If you don't, you're leaving your future to chance and there are many things that can influence that! Some are controllable by you, but many are not – government regulations, competition, the weather, the economy - to name just a few. At the very least, good planning can give you an avenue to deal with these and other pressures on the business in an organized, “big picture” way.
More Control = Less Stress
If you have a plan, you'll be more in control, and you'll have a clear head which is important to be able to deal with those everyday business pressures. Who knows...running things could even become fun!
© 2012 Lloyd McTaggart
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You're never too
old to learn...It is said that learning is a lifelong process. It makes sense, as it seems the older & more experienced you get, the more you realize you don't know everything! Keeping an open mind is one way to ensure that you won't stop learning. Besides, it's also said that an active brain is a healthy one.
Winston Churchill was a man of many quotes. Here is one of his best: "Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught."
Please enjoy the article at the left, and we hope you'll like the upcoming ones!
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