Two Words :: Write Now

I had lunch today with someone whose job is to help people with planning and starting businesses. I've started a few in my time and will again, but he reminded me of something which remains important for anyone interested in starting and a business: and that is to write it down.

What should you write down? Everything and as much as you can. I am reminded of a few passages from a book I'm reading titled "The New Think & Grow Rich" by Ted Cuiba and Napoleon Hill (yes, the very same Napoleon Hill who penned the original book last century). Pick up a copy of The New Think & Grow Rich: An Unauthorized Re-Presentation of Napoleon Hill's Success Classic at Amazon if you wish.

You'll find lots of useful help in this and many books on how to do it, and every one of them instruct us to write it down. Write down why you want to go into business (you must have a compelling reason), what is your vision and how will you operate (mission statement), what your market is (who are your customers), how much will it take to operate, break even and make a profit (project revenues and expenses), what it will cost to start up your business (capital requirements), how you will compete for customers (marketing and promotion), and how you will manage funds (cash flow) and what your contingency plans are (in case your projections or the economy changes).

It's true that nothing is created without an idea. You have the idea. But nothing succeeds without a plan, whether it's building a house, landing on the moon or starting a business. Any successful plan must be committed to paper. Try it. It's both empowering and real at the same time. There is no time like the present to get down your ideas, thoughts, and plans in detail and on paper. Write Now.