| You've been dreaming about what it would be like to | | | | you know if you could have done it? Consider some |
| start your own small business. It has been on your | | | | of the well-known names in sports, such as Michael |
| mind since you were in school, and there are times, | | | | Jordan, the basketball player; he has thrown more |
| especially on Monday mornings, that you daydream | | | | MISSED shots than those that have made their mark. |
| about it. But, you're not really sure what it would look | | | | What if he had not taken the chance to see what |
| like. You don't have the first clue how to get started, | | | | was possible for himself? |
| and of course, you're afraid that you would put your | | | | Okay, so now you're ready to take the next step! |
| heart and soul into it, only to fail and look likes a fool. | | | | First, in order to help you focus, I recommend that |
| You barely even talk about it out loud, because you | | | | people start working on their business plan. The Small |
| don't want family and friends to laugh at you. | | | | Business Association has invaluable resources on their |
| But, anything is possible! The only limitations we have | | | | website. This was the route I took. A year before I |
| are the ones we put on ourselves! With planning and | | | | quit the hospital, I started working on my business |
| learning the steps, and doing your homework, if this | | | | plan. It helped me determine exactly who I was, |
| is something you really want to do, you can do it, | | | | what I offered, why, who my ideal client was, who |
| AND succeed greatly at it, too! | | | | my target market was (at that time), who my |
| I'm not saying it's easy! Nothing worth having is. I | | | | competition was, where I would offer my services, |
| have had to learn a great deal; about myself, about | | | | how I would offer them, and so on. As I coach other |
| business, about my clients and potential clients. And it | | | | health professionals who want this dream, I now use |
| never ends, because my interests and passions | | | | a 3-page business plan for clients who don't plan to |
| change with the years. But, how exciting! | | | | look for outside funding. Regardless of the type of |
| When my daughter started kindergarten, I returned | | | | business plan, it will help answer many hard questions |
| to school. It took me five years to get through | | | | for you. |
| school, but I had a vision: I wanted to help people | | | | There are resources specific to most specific fields, |
| become healthy and fit in the privacy of their own | | | | too, including other professionals who help others get |
| homes. After school, I didn't have that plan fully in | | | | started. Do your research to see who you can |
| place, even in my mind, but after six years of | | | | contact for support and to ask questions of as you |
| working in a hospital, I was ready. I opened MEG | | | | progress. Once you have your business plan in place, |
| Fitness in June, 1996. It's been an incredible ride! I'll | | | | it's not time to celebrate, yet! How are you going to |
| never look back at my life with regrets that I didn't | | | | accomplish the goals you have come up with in that |
| pursue my dream. I really have learned that the only | | | | plan? You next need a marketing plan. Now, although |
| limits are those I impose on myself, too! So, I | | | | the marketing plan is also part of a business plan, it's |
| continue to dream bigger and allow my vision to | | | | really just the intro! The marketing plan will become |
| become more grand. Why not? What's the worst | | | | your template, your schedule, and will spell out the |
| that can happen? | | | | actions you will take to make those goals reality. If |
| That's what you have to ask yourself. If you never | | | | you use it seriously, it will be your day-to-day guide |
| try, will you be happier? If you never try, how will | | | | to making your dreams come true! |