by theEmother | Jan 29, 2014 | build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, Finish Unfinished Business, Online Strategy incl. www, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you will know that I bang on about “start with the end in mind”. And how it’s really hard to do that without knowing what the “end” can look like. Throwing an Online Strategy into the mix may only add to the confusion…
Yes, there are sound universal business practices that should be used at start-up and during growth (Online Strategy included), which would have you in the best shape when the urge to purge takes hold. However, even if you only start getting your ducks in a row now, it will all work out swimmingly.
In a nutshell, to “start with the end in mind” is a mindset thing really, as much as anything else. Closely followed getting a handle on the form your business takes in terms of how a Business Buyer will see and value it… and it can all start today.
Even if you don’t have dreams of exiting your business through a sale (or something similar), what shape is your business in right now? How 21st century is it?
I’m sure you will be familiar with the old “how, what, when, where, why”. Add the “who” and you’ve definitely got the nucleus of your Online Strategy covered.
The most important place to commence with your Online Strategy is the “Why”…
- Why did you go down the path of setting up your business?
- For what purpose does it serve?
With any “why”, there has to be two parts…
a) why the world is a better place as a result of doing business with you? (the external driver of the business)
b) why you set up your business up in a way that suits you? (the internal driver)
Emphasis on the personal only ie “b)” is interesting in terms of your story but it only forms part of it. It’s imperative that there is a larger story at play at the same time, so that the attraction to the business from the external continues whether you are part of the mix or not.
Online, of course, lends itself to this perfectly!
So I ask again, why are you doing what you’re doing? And if wanting to have an asset to sell features somewhere in the answer, be sure to have the two considerations loud and clear in your “why”…
by theEmother | Jan 27, 2014 | build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, entrepreneurial mothers, Finish Unfinished Business, MEinc, Online Strategy incl. www, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind
PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE DISCOVERED A “TOP-10 EFFECT,” WHERE PEOPLE LUMP THINGS INTO ROUND-NUMBER GROUPS AND VIEW EVERYTHING ELSE AS INFERIOR. THE LESSON? NEVER, EVER BE 11TH.
The business lessons for the Number 11’s of the world is pretty clear: crack the Top 10 at whatever the cost or change the reference point to Top 12.
To get the background, read the FastCo Design article here…
We even know this from our Google search experiences right?
So what are you Top-10 worthy in?
The business you’re running, where do you come on a list of providers offering what you do?
If you’re one of many, how do you need to position your business so you are heading towards Top-10?
If Top-10 is not where you want to head, there how will you get your business?
These are the fundamental strategic questions that always must be addressed, regardless of size or age of business. If you think this type of questioning is to highbrow for you then I question whether you’re in business at all…
by theEmother | Mar 22, 2012 | business ideas & thinking, entrepreneurial mothers, MEinc, single parent l single mother
“Just as we need strategy for business success, we need to plan for successful lives. Without one, we allow all kinds of forces to push, pull, twist, and turn us into mental and emotional pretzels. Our inability to say ‘no’ pushes us into time-wasting activities; a lack of strategic direction allows us to be pulled down a career path we never wanted; good intentions to volunteer in the community are twisted into negative comments when we’re not able to meet the time commitments; and we’re emotionally turned around when the relationship we let wither finally ends.”
Strategy for Personal Success: Discovering Your Purpose By Rich Horwath for ChangeThis.com
