Business Plan Basics

Guest posting:

Businesses, particularly start-ups, need the direction of a workable business plan. Business consultant Mia Moore shares an approach to create a basic business plan/goal statement. Most people have great ideas swirling in their minds, just eager to get out.

I answer them by letting them know that the desire usually does not go
away until the idea is satisfied.  When we are given talents,
they are expressed in the form of desires and passions of things we are
extremely good at and like to do.  Until we try it and reach
success in the pursuit of fulfilling the service that our talents
provide, the urge just does not go away.

Life however, gets in the way.  Sometimes we are not able to
fulfill our talents on a full time or even part time basis, because of
the necessity of living and paying bills, working, supporting family,
debt, etc…In this recession/depression, the opportunity is showing
itself to many of us to return to our talents:  So many people
are being laid off or finding it necessary to take on a second and
third job to make dollars stretch for ends to meet.  My
question is why not use this time to express your talents?

If you work, continue to work, but if you are laid off, looking for a
job and find more time on your hands than you would like, get out there
and see what you can achieve!!! Do not get depressed, get busy.

I suggest doing the following
five steps in order to get through these tough times:

1. Write down all of your talents, do not be
   modest – brainstorm them all.  Then pick the top five that you
   are best at and can do for long periods of time.
2. Do your research on how you can turn these top five talents
   into money making activities, or activities that will help
   others.  You may check to see if there is anyone who is doing
   something similar to what you would like to do.  Chances are
   there are.
3. One you have done the necessary research; choose three that
   make the best sense to pursue.  Start asking around to see who
   would be interested and able to use your product or service.
4. Develop a plan of action.  To start, you can
   develop a basic plan that will help you ask the necessary questions,
   such as what resources will you need? Who will you service? What will
   you do, etc …  Develop
   a basic Who, What, When, Why, Where, and How plan first:
• Who will you serve?
• What will you do for them?
• When are you available to provide your services or sell
  your products?
• When will you be ready to do this? When would you like to
  get started?
• Where will you serve or sell? Will you be online? Local?
  National? At home? In a store? In an office?
• Why do people need your services or products? Why would
  they buy from you?
• How will you provide your services? Think of the resources
  needed to get started and to operate (time, money, contacts, inventory,
  supplies, other human resources, etc).
• How will you function everyday? How will your ideal and not
  so ideal day go?

5. Once you have developed your Who, What, When, Why and How
   plan, then use the How part your plan to figure out how to implement
   the process of making money from your talents.  Make to-do
   lists that can be carried out on a quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily
   basis.

Mia Moore, MBA is the principal of Riverside California based Moore
Consulting. Focusing on green and sustainable startup ventures, Moore
Consulting offers a wide range of business development and business
plan authoring services. If you need assistance with the exercise
above, or would like to know more about the next steps in developing a
workable business plan, please email Mia Moore at miamooremba@gmail.com.
The Moore Consulting website can be found at mooreconsultingbp.com.