Ten things Business Plan Must Have

Found this article interesting and wanted to share with you and always good to remind myself.

What information must always be incorporated in any business plan? 

10 things your business plan must have:

1) Alignment of Mission, Goals, and Actions. (which I feel is THE most important step)
Once you have set the big picture by clearly identifying a mission for your company, you must then align your goals and actions to achieve that mission.
-Is your plan clear about the connection between these elements? 
If not, it may signal that you are not heading in the direction in which you really want to go.

2) Point to Major Opportunities. To demonstrate how your company will expand and prosper, your business plan must clearly point out major opportunities that will drive growth (i.e. unique products/services, new technologies, gaps in market, distribution advantages, etc.) and outline the actions you intend to take to capitalize upon these opportunities.

3) Show You’re Prepared For Threats. Your business plan should point out possible threats that loom on the horizon (i.e. a market slowdown, new regulations, increasing competition, etc.) and offer ways to prepare for them or even turn them into a real business opportunity.

4) Define Your Customers. Customers should be divided into market segments. This is important, since each segment will act differently and put unique demands upon your organization. You need to identify for each segment – Who is buying? What are they buying? Why are they buying? Your plan should also explain how your company intends to serve each type of customer better than anyone else.

5) Plan for Tracking Competitors. Your business plan should cover what you know about your competitors today and, more importantly, how you intend to keep track of them on an ongoing basis. Moreover, your plan should address how you intend to use what you learn to choose competitive battles you can win.

6) Understanding of Strengths and Weakness. Your business plan should list your company’s capabilities and resources – from management skills to research expertise to operational advantages to marketing savvy to distribution strength to your loyal customers. But the plan should also go on to describe where you are weak and need improvement.  Every company has weaknesses.  Investors know that, so don’t ignore it in your business plan.

7) Describe A Strategy That Makes Sense. Your company must have a realistic strategy that’s logical and rational about what can be accomplished and how long it’s going to take. At the end of the day, a good strategy executed well will win the ballgame.

  
8) Provide Numbers You Can Stand Behind. Your financial statements are your company’s report card, so to speak. They should paint an honest picture of your business. Your business plan should include a realistic financial portrait, based on assumptions that you believe in and numbers that you trust. Be prepared to back these assumptions up with facts and verifiable sources.

9) Have a Backup Plan. Your plan should acknowledge that you don’t have a crystal ball, so present some alternative or backup options for the plans you’ve made. Ask and answer the question, “What if…?”

10) Be Sure Your Plan is Clear, Concise, and Current. Your plan is a living document, so make sure it communicates clearly, is concise and to the point, and is in a form that is easy to update as things change.

Use this brief overview to help you quickly focus your energy on improving elements of your plan that will enhance your chances of raising capital.

For more similar information, go to:  blog.jian.com

October, relationships, deeper love

I was inspired to share this message from an October astrology

“Relationship means something complete, finished, closed. 

Love is never a relationship; love is relating. 

It is always a river, flowing, unending.  

Love knows no full point; the honeymoon begins but never ends.” ~OSHO 

October is predominately ruled by the Zodiac sign Libra.  Libra, ruled by the planet of love and relating, Venus.  Libra  is known as the sign of relationships; both of  marriages and open enemies.  I recently came across the Osho quote above and reflected on how it relates to Libran energies.
I came across OSHO and fell in love with his writing.

I have come to learn that relationships are truly the core of our existence.
We mirror each other so much.
We help each other.
We inspire each other.
We learn from each other.
We teach each other.
This month with the Sun in Libra and a New Moon in Libra we are highly influenced and emotionally inspired by the relationships in our lives. 

I felt that this month was highly influenced and emotionally inspired by the relationships in our lives.
But perhaps we ask ourselves what does relationship mean? 
How are we relating to the others in our lives? 
How are we allowing others to relate to us?
Can we begin to stretch our idea of relating? 
Can we give space to those around us to grow and perhaps relate differently? 
Can we hold this same room for expansion in ourselves?

October will also start the beginning of a Venus Retrograde.  Similar to Mercury Retrograde, during this time Venus appears to be moving backwards through the sky.  Venus Retrograde will occur October 8 – November 18, 2011.  As Venus moves in retrograde in the sign of Scorpio back into Libra on November 7th, we will be challenged to be in our relationships more deeply.

The superficial ways of relating will no longer serve us.
The movement of Venus will force us to share the secrets our hearts have been holding.
It will beckon our heart to come forth and tell those who we are relating with our truest feelings.

This month don’t hold back.  In the spirit of Osho – “love knows no full point” – allow your relating to go to the next level. 
Be open to the possibilities of new ways to relate to others and allow for these new ways to color your life deeply.

 As I sat reading this, it amazes me how astrology, Chinese Medicine and Feng Shui all blend together.  Autumn is also a time to slow down, start gathering our thoughts, reflect, acknowledge.  It is also a time where the weather changes and people are more prone to colds where the Lung is effected.  Time to re-evaluate who we really want in our lives, or specifically to cuddle up to.


For me personally, it was nice to know I was going along with nature's flow and on track.
I felt challenged while I dived deeper in all my relationships.
I opened up my heart and shared my truest, most vulnerable feelings.
Surrendered control and holding back to protect myself.
Yes, my relating has gone beyond the next level, probably went hyper speed.
My life is so much juicier just from this month's connecting, relating and loving.
The colors are sparkly, magical, and gives  me an inner glow that shines outwards.

I am inspired to create the honeymoon feeling where it never ends.
So far, I've been researching open communication and life has been really good.

I have good feedback from many teachers that it is possible as long as 2 people are committed to relating in fun and pleasurable ways.