Business Plans

[RCBill 14]

Without getting into a bunch of detail, I would like to know if there is any interest in doing a group kind of thing, putting together a business plan.

The idea is to build a plan along with others for several benefits. We would set milestones for progress. I am using Business Plan 2007 software. I would want to converse with others using this or a similar framework.

I don't want my plan out to the universe either. We would do a lot of communication off line. And telling others sensitive stuff isn't necessary.

This would not be a place to look for a lot of business guidence. A participant would work to keep pace.

If you think may like to be a part of this; post. If there is interest we can etalk further about nuts and bolts.

[Neil_Asheville 114]

Bill, I will try to call you today.

/neil

[RCBill 14]

YEeoowww. One for fourty-four. Talk about a hot topic!

:lgtear:

[PressurePros 248]

Bill, I will be giving a seminar on how to be politically incorrect and turn even a silly poll into a hot topic posting. Catch up with me at ACR. All interested, fee is $50 USD.

Still standing by... Ken

[RCBill 14]

Take Visa?

[JFife 14]

...I'm in line to guest lecture on "Fire-Fueling/Flaming". That will be followed by "Killing With Kindness" by Newlook, and "Professional Internet Fighting Skills" taught by Mike Williamson. Should be a little for everyone, :) j/k

Bill/ken: We never got far with our "discussion", heh? Truth is, I'd rather point out know that there just isn't enough time in the day than to bail later. I cannot even sit at my desk and get work done during the day without being pulled under by Time Bandits like these bbs's. While I wish I had the time and would love to have a group with some of you guys to discuss these things, I already have one group for this purpose and to add another would be to add time to something that is "fun" for me but not necessarily as productive as other things I could be doing. Good luck to "a" group---anyone with sense that wants to grow their biz should join these guys,

[RCBill 14]

Yes, I've known people that seem to 'spend' all their time talking about working.

Thanks for the heads up, I wondered what happened to you.

******

I got to know very successful contractors via membership in Certified Contractors Network. One guy had a million dollar marketing budget and one guy was in year three of turning his bankrupt siding business into a profitable one. I never knew his numbers. But he could have been at a half million in revenue. Met a Canadian landscaper that was crusing through seven figure milestones.

Initiation at the time was $3,500, monthly dues $700. I went to a sales school that cost $3,500 for a week. I've heard that costs have increased and that contractors are lined up to join.

This is what I saw in these men and women. Nothing special. This is what CCN gave them; with a couple exceptions, nothing special. But these people never considered themselves landscapers, painters, or roofers. They saw themselves as Presidents of marketing firms. And they did the basic business school work; business plans, marketing plans, budgets, cash-flow reports, etc.

They have a business planning boot camp scheduled. I'll bet they are getting $5,000 for a weeks work. Guaranteed that they are building business plans and personal time management systems. Nothing special. What is special is that they leave their businesses and families for a week to have someone tell them to write a plan to reach their goals.

What would be the value in participating in this group thing I am suggesting? Feeling compelled to do the work, to keep up. Maybe having someone to bounce ideas off of. Getting some value for the time on this and other boards.

Now, I have no vested interest in this other that having someone to bounce ideas off of and the Grime Scene staff were looking for something constructive to involve people in. I thought this would be something worthwhile. I'll get my plan done with or without company. I want to be like the people I met at CCN. If you're growing a good business maybe you don't need to invest the time in a business plan. If things could be better, a business plan is fundamental to a successful business.

[PressurePros 248]

I am still interested, Bill. This is your baby. I'm expecting you to lead with format, scheduling etc. I know you don't want it too formalized but no one including myself will just take a look at someone's wants/needs and analyze them and then come back and discuss them at a later time unless there is an agenda to do so.

I agree wholeheartedly with this concept. I am very srong in some areas and could use help in some others. I have learned disciplines that will make guys millionaires (the right kind of guys) and I spin wheels with the time bandits as well. I have hundreds of hours of seminars, schooling and techniques from e-myth structuring to industrial psychiatry utilized in personnel hiring and quite honestly..

I need refinement in pulling it all together. I seek a group of peers that can assess and properly analyze a model and see it for its flaws as well as its potential success.

All of this.. PressurePros, RAD Systems International, Curves, Cold Stone and any future endeavors are all prerequisites to what I really want. I want to be giving the $5000 seminars, writing the top selling buisness how-to's and charging $15,000 per day to speak at Fortune500 companies. Any group, meeting or mind that can further this goal has my attention.

Ken out.

[RCBill 14]

Sounds good Ken. Another with good credentials has expressed interest. Three is good enough for me. Let's talk with Beth over the weekend. We may be able to use the Grime Scene privately.

Look forward to meeting you.

[JFife 14]

Bill,

I am in the position where I am paying for these type of services, for 1on1 consultation. Probably similar to the CCN which you spoke of in a way. My thing I want to avoid is "paralysis by analysis" or becoming over-taught/over-learned, if you will. I used to not think that was possible, I now do, depending on what your goals are. Sometimes you just have to pick an approach and go with it on faith. I'm analytical enough that if I joined another group creating plans, models, etc......it would make me question what I was learning in my other Program, and the veracity of it.

I'll say this: everything I've been working on so far would be exactly in-line with what you've described of your original group---you get "out of the bucket", so to speak. I wish you guys a lot of success and think this is imperitve to achievement. Things slow up this winter Bill, I may harangue you with a phone call some day if you don't mind to bounce some thoughts. jf

[RCBill 14]

Jon, you are the kinda man I want to associate with.

I understand paralysis, it is common to my personality type.

But I don't see this thing we're doing putting out a lot of how-to stuff. If you don't have a business plan on paper, dis is da place to be. My job will be to move everyone to a documented plan. Now you know there are plans, AND THERE ARE PLANS.

The Business Plan 2007 software includes a book by some know-it-all who writes about minimum requirements for a plan. As we are closing in on the end of the year, that may be the goal. But we'll make that a group decision. This is what knows everything suggests;

Have a cash-flow projection

Have a plan to reach goals

The cash-flow stuff is pretty easy. I have a template if you need one. It just takes sitting down with a P and L and entering data.

A plan for what you want to do is another matter. My goal for the year is getting out of the bucket. A plan answers; "So, what does getting out of the bucket take?" I need revenue, so I need sales, so I need leads, how am I going to get the leads? Do I need another truck? How much is that going to cost? You get the idea.

To me, a plan with pretty good cash-flow numbers and documented answers to 'how am I going to reach my goals' is a pretty good effort. There may be more important understanding of one's future, but I don't see it.

Just one more thing.

I know there are a lot of people reading this that do not have profitable businesses. This is a message to you. Take your lumps. Admit to yourself that what you're doing is not working. Everyone that grows has growing pains. Ken Fenner is doing a lot of good things, and he is interested in this little effort. This is how he grew. He does the work.

While I look forward to talking business with Ken, he wasn't in my thoughts when I started this thread. I was thinking of the large percentage of people who struggle to earn a living running a business. You need to get into another circle of influence. And it isn't just a technical or managerial thing.