Wednesday, December 31, 2014

PLAN to have a GREAT YEAR in 2015!

Why is it ... that we so often associate the preparation of a business plan with the start-up phase of a business venture? There’s little doubt on the value of having a plan at the front-end of the entrepreneurial journey, but what’s often overlooked is the value that a regular review and update to a business plan can have for the owner of an existing, growing business.

Think about it ... now that your business is up and running, and you’ve invested significant time, energy and money into establishing your business, a regular check on how things are going is a SMART investment. It’s one that will help you keep your business on track and headed in the right direction. Beyond that, it will keep you in a 'ready position' for the next opportunity that will be headed your way – and that’s likely one that you won’t want to miss!

* As much as we enjoy helping start-ups, it’s even more important for an established or growing business to regularly review and update their business plan.

For those who are already in business, here are a few questions we ask our clients, to help them review their business plan:

  1. Have you taken stock of how you and your business are doing? Are things moving in the right direction?
  2. What’s the current long-term vision you have for your business?
  3. What changes are taking place in your business environment and how will they impact your business?
  4. What are the ‘strengths’ that you and each of your team members bring to the business?
  5. Have you identified areas where ‘improvements’ should be, and need to be made in your business?
  6. What things will you continue to do in your business, and what things are you planning to change?
  7. What attracts customers to your business, and how can you increase that in the future?
  8. What resources and strategic relationships will be key for success in the year ahead?
  9. Have you established SMART goals (short-term, mid-term, and long-term) for your business?
  10. How will you stay on-track and keep yourself accountable for what you’re trying to accomplish?

We’d be pleased to help you in assessing any of the above and more, as you prepare your plans for Business Success!


“Plan to have a great year in 2015!”
  From all of the team at Pro-Vision Solutions Inc.

Our Gift to You – To celebrate the new year and thank our customers, 'Click' on the graphic below for an instant 15% discount on our “PVS – Exploring Business Options” that you may find helpful in January 2015.  

(Alternately, 'scan' the QR Code, and enter the promotional code: 15-IN-2015


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pvs-exploring-business-options-january-2015-registration-14439024511?discount=15-IN-2015
 

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

8 Questions Going into 2015

As we come to the close of another year, many of us will use the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to reflect on where we’ve been with our businesses, and consider what we’ll plan to accomplish in the year ahead.

Here are a couple of questions I’m hoping you’ll take some time to think about over the holidays. I’d be pleased to have you share your thoughts in a short reply or comment to any of them. Alternately, you may feel more comfortable discussing some of your answers with us within a more confidential setting. Please contact us directly by email if you’d like to do that, and we can make appropriate arrangements with you.

Here are our 8 questions to ponder:

  1. What are the major business accomplishments that you’ve had for the most recent year?
  2. What changes are taking place in your business environment, and are they now signalling a need for your attention?
  3. Of the things you’ve been doing in business, what will you continue to do, and what are you planning to change?
  4. What do you want to achieve in business for the year ahead?
  5. How have you quantified and/or qualified your goals for the next year?
  6. What is it that makes your business attractive to your customers, and how can you increase that in the future?
  7. What resources and key relationships will be important for success in the year ahead, and how will you further build these for your business?
  8. Have you prepared plans for your business for the new year?

If you’ve thought about your answers to the questions we’ve raised, are you putting your responses and your action steps into your business plan? The first step to achieving business success is to plan for that success. And those plans belong in your business plan.

The year ahead will be filled with many opportunities for business. Opportunities continually emerge as things change around us. The key is to recognize and respond to the opportunities that appropriately match any one of us. That’s why a regular review of the business plan is such a constructive step. Revisit your plan! It can be a valuable guide into your future.

For 2015 and beyond, we’ve found walking step-by-step with entrepreneurs and their team of business professionals to be key to maximizing opportunities. Please let us know if you’d like some help with this, as we have a number of valuable business planning processes, tools and resources available to help entrepreneurs as they start and grow their businesses.

All the best in 2015!
- Jim & Myrna Ewing

Pro-Vision Solutions Inc.