Tag : planning for success

Snow on spring break is like business difficulties; you can plan, but bring a shovel

Posted by Dave Mace at 9:44 am

We are enjoying some beautiful weather right now, but we all know how that can change.

When you live in Kansas you come to expect a little snow in late March. I coach my son’s soccer team, and last year, our first weekend’s games were postponed due to flooded fields. The following weekend, games were postponed on account of snow. It can be fun to play football in the snow. In fact, a snowy Super Bowl might be fun. But soccer? Not so much.

By the same token, you probably aren’t surprised as a small business owner when you experience ups and downs.

Trouble is, business downturns can be as difficult to forecast as a snowstorm. (We know how reliable snow forecasters are!) But you CAN plan. You CAN have a strategy.

You can make sure there is gas on hand for the snowblower. You can make sure you have a good shovel. You can stock up on snow melt. You can lay up food in the fridge and the pantry. But once the snow hits, the real work begins and you have to start digging out and getting on with life.

The same is true for your business. You can save. You can put employees on call. You can trim hours. You can cut spending. But when things start getting rough, your creativity and resources can become stretched to the limit.

General Colin Powell said, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” Nevertheless, it pays to have a plan. It’s sort of like taking a trip to someplace you’ve never been. Along the way, you might encounter obstacles and detours that render parts of your map irrelevant. But I bet you’d rather have that map than a blank sheet of paper.

But getting back to the snow, you will encounter unexpected storms in life and in business. So, now it’s time for one of my favorite business adages:

ECONOMIC TRENDS AND COMPETITION DON’T RUIN BUSINESSES. POOR MANAGEMENT RUINS BUSINESSES.

Bottom line: You can stand around and complain while the snow accumulates at your feet or you can start digging. Better yet, consider throwing down a little snow melt while the sun is shining in case of a storm. Take that approach with your business and you’ll be more likely to succeed.

And who knows? You might even get to enjoy a little downhill sledding!

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Start Planning Now for Your 2011 Small Business Success

Posted by Dave Mace at 9:23 pm

I’m going to keep this short because I’ve learned that people’s eyes start to glaze over and they start hearing Neil Diamond songs in their heads when I get long-winded about planning.

Here is your itinerary:

DESTINATION: Leave your office. Go to your favorite quiet place.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: A legal pad and your favorite writing instrument (thinking is stimulated by manual writing)

GOAL: Establish a plan for success in 2011 and beyond

Now, we’re going to utilize a couple of proven business strategies to formulate your plan.

The first comes from the book Blue Ocean Strategy by Kim and Mauborgne. List things in four different categories: Reduce, eliminate, raise and create. List the things you do that should be reduced below the industry standard and the things that should be raised above the industry standard. Then list the things that you do which should be completely eliminated from your operation and the new ones that should be created.

This process will help you focus on what makes your business truly special.

With this framework in mind, you are ready to plot your course.

Bob Tuchman proposes the following steps to a fantastic strategic plan.

1. Whom do you serve? Write a story about your customer. Why is she important to you? What does she do in her spare time? What is important to her?

2. What is your vision for your company? None of this namby-pamby, high-minded jibber-jabber. Write out where you want to be in five years. How many employees do you want? Who will be your best customers? What salary will you pay yourself? Where will you live? Will you take more vacations?

3. Set a one-year stretch goal. A stretch goal is one that will be somewhat difficult to attain. This goal should be a big step toward your vision.

4. Last, define what you need to do in the next 30, 60 and 90 days to start you on the path to your goal.

I promise you can do this in 90 minutes or less, with time for a couple beverages and trips to the bathroom thrown in. Just give me a call if you need help. 316.305.8358.
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