Let me begin by saying that I never thought I’d be quoting Tyra Banks. On anything. But she recently wrote a piece in Newsweek about her life and her thoughts on, of all things, entrepreneurship. She compared starting a new business to having a new baby – you lose sleep, work 24/7, and look for only the best people to take care of your wonderful creation.
It’s a good analogy. No matter your child’s, or your business’s, stage in life, you have to have a plan. As a new father, I can attest to that. From the time you find out you’re going to be a parent (maybe even before!), you start planning for the future. How we will divide childcare duties? What’s the nursery going to look like? How will we afford to send him to college? Then the baby arrives, and there’s even more planning – you can’t leave the house for the afternoon without a plan!
A business is no different. Every business starts with a plan, maybe not a formal bank-approved business plan, but a plan to make your idea reality. But being up and running doesn’t mean you can stop planning. What are you sales goals in five years? How will you achieve them? How will you market your company to take it to the next level? Once you’re there, what’s the next step?
What would happen to your child if you didn’t take the time to plan ahead? What do you think would happen to your business?
Jay Snider
Palo Alto Software
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