I love maps. Unlike a GPS that issues orders to turn left, turn right and leads me blindly to a destination; a physical map lets me explore different routes, discover interesting side trips, and dream of where a road will lead me. Maps let me make the decisions of how to get where I want to go and how long I want to take to get there.
Maps can also mean the difference between life and death! I live in Montana near the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states. As far as a GPS is concerned, this area does not exist, but the wonders that the wilderness contains are many. When my husband and I go hiking, trail maps show us the routes we want to take and which forks in the trail will lead us to our planned destination. Maps have rescued me in moments of confusion and kept me from wandering aimlessly or having to backtrack repeatedly.
What do maps have to do with business plans? Business plans are the maps for our businesses. Maps help us to avoid wandering in circles or having to retrace our steps because the road we’ve blindly followed is a dead end. A business plan also keeps us from wandering aimlessly and wasting energy on paths that won’t lead to our destination.
PHoto by Mika Baumeister on Unspash
Business plans sound scary, big, and complicated, but they don’t have to be. Business plans are simply writing down what you want to do in your business of art, how you are going to do it, and when you are going to do it. Deciding what should and should not be part of the plan is where many artists hit a stumbling block. That’s where my webinar “Creating an Effective Business Plan: Step by Step” will help. We will be talking about what to include in a business plan, how to decide what steps to include, when to make those steps, and deciding who can help you along the way. Most importantly, we will be talking about how to create a business plan that works for you.
I hope you will join me on how to create a map for your business. I promise it won’t be scary!
--Deb
Published December 14, 2015 Revised February 4, 2021