http://pick-my-brain.com/blog/index.cfm This is the blog. en-us Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:24:40 -0700 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:31:00 -0700 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss lcoote@pick-my-brain.com lcoote@pick-my-brain.com http://pick-my-brain.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/18/Being-in-the-Business-of-Planning <p>When I first went into business for myself in 1999 with my meeting planning company, <a href="http://www.laureligroup.com">The Laureli Group, Inc.,</a> I did what a lot of first time business owners do and jumped right into business without a business plan or even a thought to how things were going to look in 3 years, let alone 3 months.&nbsp; I was focused on the moment and on the next piece of business.</p> <p>Three years later, I decided to apply for the highest levels of certification in the meetings industry, the Certified Meeting Management designation.&nbsp; It was in the process of earning this designation that I created my first business plan, as it was required as part of the curriculum. Wow, what an eye-opener!&nbsp; It took all that I I knew about my business, marketplace and finance and combined it with the results of market research and resulted in a 3-year plan complete with projections for future growth.</p> <p>The amazing part was when I read it again about 2 1/2 years later, and discovered that most of what I had projected had come to be.&nbsp; Just the process of writing down my desires and putting numbers and ideas into place gave me so much more clarity.&nbsp; And with that clarity, I was able to direct my company and its future growth.</p> <p>Today, at Pick My Brain, the greatest need we see with our customers is the need for a business plan.&nbsp; Many of them are working hard, setting goals, but often without a strategy or without accurate information.&nbsp; I believe that the greatest value in building a business plan comes from the planning itself.&nbsp; A business plan is not an end goal.&nbsp; It is a live process, and it is in the planning and implementation of the steps created that the success comes.&nbsp; Sure, if you want to secure funding, you'll need an actual finished product to present; but if you want to grow your business, you must always be planning, projecting and taking action on those plans.</p> <p>Because of this need, we've implemented a 12-week Business Plan Package that takes our clients through the steps of creating a plan a step at a time.&nbsp; We've found 3-months to be a time frame that allows the busiest of business people the opportunity to build<br /> their plan while still managing the business at hand.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>We'd love to hear from you!&nbsp; Are you in the process of creating a business plan?&nbsp; What are your challenges?&nbsp; What have been your successes?&nbsp; What would you recommend to others going through the process?<br /> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Business Plans Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:31:00 -0700 http://pick-my-brain.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/18/Being-in-the-Business-of-Planning