Business Planning
On Your Marks, Get Set...
Starting your own business without a plan is much like going on a long journey without a map. Not very advisable!So why is a business plan so important on your business journey:-
- It can help guide you in the right direction to your desired destination.
- It will give you a route planner with actions along the way: your blueprint for success.
So...where do you start?
Get some help with with your Business Plan with a Striding Out Business Coach
Useful Business Planning Tools
How-to guides and factsheets
Find practical factsheets covering key aspects of starting up and running a small business, covering issues such as market research, laws you need to comply with, getting the most out of IT, and understanding tax and finance. To find out more about key business aspects when setting up and running a small business, click here.
A Guide to Writing a Business Plan by Scavenger
Looking Back to Move Forward
Moving into the New Year...Look back to move foward.
Review....
To have a better 2009 you may find it useful to spend some time on what happened in your life during 2008.
Quite often we are looking at the next marker, what is next on our to do list, what we plan to do in 2009.
Enough time is not spent reviewing what has happened so far, so spend a little time looking at what has happened in your life up to this point. You will find that this is where your goals will come from.
Reflect...
You need to clear the screen as it may be blurred with all of the things that you have tolerated and not completed last year
Look at the goals you set in 2008, your achievements, incompleted tasks, where you may have fallen back a bit, what you should be grateful for and more importantly if there is anyone that you should say a special thanks to.
Celebrate...
Now that the Christmas turkey is but a memory and you have had more mulled wine than you care to admit, take a little time to acknowledge and appreciate yourself for everything you've accomplished throughout the previous year.
You might want to compile a collection of pictures of holidays that you had - even some that you did not expect to go on: recall special moments, losing those extra pounds, getting a new job or relationship or that new account that you have worked so hard to acquire.
Plan...
While we are fresh into the New Year - Look Back to Move Forward and if you would like a FREE copy of the ‘Look Back To Move Forward Review Planner', please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
You might like to work through the process with a business coach. If so, then please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and let us know which location you are in, and we'll get in touch with you.
Wishing you the best for 2009.
Morton Patterson
Interview with Amy Winters, Winner of Big Leap 2008
Interview with Amy Winters, co-founder of Couture Clubbing and winner of the Big Leap Competition 2008. Amy talks about the challenges of setting up a business and the importance of a business plan in helping her turn an idea into a reality.
Being Creative
Everywhere I go people talk about creativity
and it seems that each person has their own interpretation on what it 
actually
is which is fine because it is a "subjective subject". This week is
particularly relevant as it is Liverpool Music week culminating in a massive
show on Thursday at the mtv music awards at the Echo Arena.
Music and creativity and Liverpool all go hand in hand, with of course the Beatles instantly springing to mind.
Developing an entrepreneurial mindset
Finding a Business Partner
Approaches to Finding a Business Partner
Alot of ideas don't off the ground because people can't find the right business partners or team members. So how do you define your ideal business partner and then find them?