“What Was I Thinking? – How to Stop Asking Yourself This and Truly Enjoy Running Your Small Business” by Adam Santavicca

Getting up every morning and knowing what you are going to do each day can be fun.

What this suggests is you have a plan for the day and you have a pretty good idea of the outcome, and it is good. This plan may be a “things to do list.” These work, and if it is just for yourself, it can be quite effective. However, if you are running a business, you need a bit more than just a simple list.

You need a business plan that provides measurable goals and timelines for your business. We call this “your roadmap for success”.

Most small business owners do not have a business plan, or they had one when they started their business to obtain the initial funding from their bank. This is not the type of plan used to run a business.

Working without a business plan is like starting off on a long trip without a roadmap. This is where you get lost and sometimes find yourself driving around in circles. Your trip is no longer fun; it is frustrating and filled with anxiety. Well, this is similar to running a business. You find yourself taking the wrong direction, questioning your decisions, making wrong decisions, and finally not making any decisions at all. Not only is this not fun, it can hurt or even destroy your business.

A business plan contains all of the key elements of your business. Each of these elements has a goal, a person assigned to it along with a timeline. It is measurable so you can see the progress or lack of progress for each area of your business. It allows for change as your business changes. In effect, it is a dynamic document that you use everyday.

It brings structure, order and discipline to your business. This removes all of the frustration and anxiety that exists whenever there is uncertainty. With a good, solid business plan you will find that running your business can be fun. Enjoy your ride to success.