The French author Francois de la Rochefoucauld wrote in the 17th century, “The only thing constant is change.” Small businesses can be vulnerable at any time, but especially so in an unstable and/or constantly changing economic environment. The words of Richard Macinko, the original commander of Seal Team Six, seem particularly relevant to the emotional turmoil and increasing pressure that this era’s business owners and operators experience:
Change hurts. It makes people insecure, confused, and angry. People want things to be the same as they’ve always been, because that makes life easier. But if you’re a leader, you can’t let your people hang on to the past.
When the world is spinning out of control, whether it is business or personal, having a plan is essential. No business is too small to benefit from a simple outline that includes the answers to such questions as:
* Where are we financially?
* Where do we want to be in a year or five years?
* How do we get there from where we are now?
Business plans should be simple as well as fluid guides that keep owners and employees forward thinking and positive. Free resources are available online, at the local library, through the Small Business Administration, and often local community colleges. When compiling the information for that business plan take advantage of the information collected to consider ideas to improve cash flow and reduce expenses without sacrificing the quality of the company’s productivity. Here are a few resources to get you started:
Websites
https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/write-your-business-plan
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6931-sba-business-plan-tips.html
https://www.va.gov/osdbu/docs/vepBusinessPlanOutline.pdf
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247574
https://www.daveramsey.com/askdave/small-business
Books
Business plan template and example: how to write a business plan: Business planning made simple by Alex Genandinik.
The Little Big Small Business Book by Micah Fraim.
The 1 Hour BUSINESS PLAN Guide: A Beginners Guide to Writing a Business Plan (The 1 Hour Strategy Guide Book 2) by Anil Nathoo
EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey.
