Starting your own business requires lots of planning. This article explains some of the steps you need to take before pulling the trigger. “Pulling The Trigger”. It’s an expression we use to describe taking an action. But what if we pull the trigger too early? Recently, I watched a non-profit pull the trigger on assembling a group of volunteers prior to establishing a clear direction and mandate. As their leader struggled with the direction, the once eager volunteers fell away. I witnessed a tech startup pull the trigger on investing in a rollout team before it had a viable product. …
Does Your Service Live Up To Your Tag Line?
A month ago my business networking group decided that we should all run a charity 5K together and that it would be even more fun if we had team shirts with our group name and logos on it, like the real running shirts you get in races. We decided to get something nice, not one of those cheap throwaway tees but a sports tee that we could be proud of and wear again and again. I took the action to create the shirts and after having one of my talented graphic artists come up with a snappy looking design, I …
Small Business Vision: Why Do You Do What You Do?
One of the most important statements you can make as a small business owner is to articulate your business vision and say why you do what you do. A vision describes the fundamental purpose of your business, why it exists and what it is meant to do. It is a moral statement that guides the decisions you will make along the way and will remain in place over the long term. Here are a couple of examples: Amazon Vision Statement: “Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find …