As Larry Kim says in this post Why reinvent the wheel? Get a professional business plan template at no cost. He shares 10 resources that can be used to develop your business plan. Hopefully you will find at least one of them useful to get you started!
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Kerry Top shared the below infographic stressing the importance of businesses creating deep connections by focusing on their ‘why’. In his words “creating purpose and positive social impact are powerful attracting, sustaining and motivating forces.” Keeping such thoughts at the core of business is said to be good business.
So ask yourselves, are you focusing on your why and creating deep connections to drive business? If not, it’s time to think about how you can bring this into your business strategy.
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If your work isn’t bringing you fulfillment then perhaps it is because it isn’t connected to your why. When you have a real sense of purpose behind what you do, it is more likely to leave you with a sense of fulfillment. For organisations I think this means it is important that all employees are aware of how they contribute to the companies vision/purpose; that way they may have a greater sense of fulfillment.
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In this post we learn about 3 tactics that have been found to be used amongst top performers to get people to buy into their ideas.
1. Make them upset and then excited – As odd as it may sound this actually makes sense. Remind someone of their frustrations and then relive this frustration with a solution (being your product)
2. Show it (don’t just tell it) – Top performers have been said to get their point across by making use of things like props, photos, videos and demonstrations
3. Make them feel purpose – inspiring people with a vision of a greater purpose is said to be the mark of a great leader. As an example, while Starbucks sells coffee, they serve a larger purpose to bring people together as a community and creating a “third place between work and home”.
With innovation at the forefront of many CEO’s and businesses minds, it is important to consider which innovation model is most appropriate for them and ensure that they have the relevant skills and expertise to succeed. The below infographic found in this post shows us 6 innovation models and displays the characteristics unique to these models:
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In this post we learn about Richard Branson’s balancing act of life. He shares his top tips in making the most of life and each day:
Do something fun as you start your day – Get some sort of physical activity done in the morning, be it playing a sport or fitting in some exercise in your commute. This is important to your health and will may leave you feeling like you have achieved something before work even starts
Just do it – “Work hard, take your chances, and seize opportunities when they present themselves. Don’t give in to the fear and self doubt and instead find ways to make it happen”
Set goals and challenge yourself (and write them down) – Improving oneself is important and accordingly it is also important to set yourself goals to help you continue to learn and develop
Have a break – Burning yourself out isn’t going to help anyone. It’s okay to have a break now and then and give yourself a breather. All in moderation I say
Do some good – “Business should be a driving force in creating a better world, so if you can combine your entrepreneurial skills with a social purpose, you can have a great effect on the world”
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In this post we hear about how simply being nice has been a cornerstone of Bobbi Brown’s business and led to the success it sees today.
Bring nice to people shouldn’t be driven by the desire to want something back from people, but should be done simply as it will make you feel good.
The post also mentions that a culture of kindness and caring brings with it even more kindness and caring. And that people learn from their leaders so the tone at the top is important.
Moral of the story, be kind and create a culture much the same and you too may reap the benefits of this like Bobbi Brown has!
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Your lack of knowledge and experience does not need to be a liability. Sometimes it is the unknown that can take you forward. You can always learn as you go along as Richard Branson explains here how he built a diverse empire with businesses across many sectors.
We could all learn a thing or two from Branson. I love that he didn’t let his lack of knowledge get in his way. Instead he embraced the unknown and went with it. He didn’t leave any room for self doubt. He just keeps on learning!
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What is V2MOM? It is the guiding process used by Salesforce in all its decisions, from when the company first started in 1999 to its IPO in 2004. The acronym stands for Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles and Measures As outlined in this Salesforce blog this method allows them to continuously adopt in todays fast moving environment compared to other business tools like organisational charts which hey find too stagnant. It is said that this method has allowed them to achieve a ‘high level of organisational alignment and communication while growing at breakneck speeds’. It serves as bit of a roadmap that shows you your destination but also guides you along the way.
The process asks the following questions:
Vision – What do you want?
Values – What’s important about it?
Methods – How do you get it?
Obstacles – What might stand in the way?
Measures – How will you know when you have it?
Here is what Salesforce’s first V2MOM looked like:
It’s worked for Salesforce and could work for you too, so give this simple tool a crack!
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While keeping things simple can be important from a product perspective as suggested in this read, it is also important when it comes to communication.
Richard Branson explains how information that is broken down into clear concise chunks makes it much easier to digest. If you are wanting to pitch an idea, make sure you can ‘keep it simple’ and sum your ideas up in a few sentences.
“The key is being concise and knowing what makes you stand out.”
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TP reads 