{Crochet Business Plan} What Will You Do?

CBB Challenge January 1, 2013 Today’s Writing Prompt:

My business is __________ and I will make _________. I’ll sell my products online at __________ and/or offline at ___________.

My job duties will include:

I had big plans for 2012 with regards to finally going official with my crochet business. My writing was paying enough to support a self-hosted website, email list manager and an e-junkie cart for the eBook I released in March.

Little did I know life would throw a couple of snags into my plans and I would have to give it all up. To say I was a bit depressed is an understatement.

I was out of regular work for nearly 4 months, which means the income I had to fund the hosting and other goodies to ‘launch’ my business dreams forward fell flat – went kaput.

I had to start all over again. I transferred all my ‘self-hosted’ content to free blogs again after telling all my followers about the new site. I also transferred my entire mailing list over to a new server only to have to revert to the free one I was using. Luckily, I didn’t delete the original yet or I would have had to start all over again.

Why tell you all of this? This is after all a “Crochet Business Blog” you want ideas that work not failed attempts. I’m telling you this because, although I had a rough draft of what I wanted my business to look like I didn’t have a written plan with goals and objectives.

You can read my crochet business plan  which I developed after attending a great seminar with a top branding expert. Problem was it wasn’t really a business plan but rather a start to one – a brand identity – my dream business.

I attended a local S.C.O.R.E. class which went into detail about what a business plan needed and I blew it off as something I didn’t need because I wasn’t borrowing money. I was wrong. Even if you don’t intend to borrow money you need a business plan.

You might find the term “micro-business” plan easier to swallow. You need a plan, a map if you will, that will tell you where you are starting, where you want to go and how you will get there.

For starters, contact your local S.C.O.R.E. mentor group and set up your first appointment. You can also visit your local Small business administration. Your mentor will help you develop your business plan and refer you to the information you need to start your business right and legally.

Visit SBA.GOV for more great information (search for the following)

• Finding a Business Mentor (I recommend Laurie of Crochet Liberation Front or Sede of YarnObsession.com)
• Starting an Online Business
• Self Employed
• Home Based Business

I recommend Kelly’s class: Power of a Focused Business $7.00 Self-study course