08/25/2026
What's the plan? I never realized the value of writing a business plan until about 10 years ago, I took an intensive business class through the SBA. The first thing we had to do was write a business plan, which I had never done before. First and foremost, putting your plans and goals on paper really makes you think about what you really want out of your business, and what you envision it to be. We refined our business plan over the entire class, 6 months, working in peer groups, with instructors and guest mentors, with the end of the class being the final draft of your plan. Every time I revised my plan, I printed the revision, and put the last version in a folder to document my progress. It was amazing how much different my plan was from the first draft to the last. It also taught me that the plan is just that, a plan. Just like in my class, I was always reviewing the plan, making sure I was executing the way I should be. But I was also refining, making sure the plan truly fit my goals, and that I was reacting and adapting to any changes in my business and in my market. If you don't have a written business plan, I highly recommend you start working on one. You won't be sorry, and if you are anything like me, the process will be every bit as important to you in the end as the finished product.
