21 Apr Plan for Recovery – Lesson 1: Strengths & Opportunities
Is this You?
Are you walking around slumped over? Are you dragging your feet or feeling deflated?
Grab yourself a mirror and see what others are seeing. As a business owner you set the tone for your business and your family.
Now that you’ve taken a good hard look repeat after me…….
“I am awesome and I can do this! I am awesome and I can do this! I didn’t build this business from scratch to have it get infected by a virus!”
Keep saying it until you believe it!
Now get up off the couch, shut off the television, square your shoulders and grab a pad of paper, some pens and some sticky notes (I love sticky notes!). What no sticky notes? Cut up squares of paper and let’s get started!
Yes I’m pushy in case you haven’t figured that out yet.
Don’t try to scribble everything on one sheet of paper. Use the sticky notes! One idea per sticky note. Make this fun and energizing for yourself.
Okay now let’s get your brain in positive thinking pattern. I want you to say – yes OUT LOUD – YELL IT IF YOU HAVE TO!
“I have all the time and money in the world! Anything is possible!”
Grab your phone and set the timer – you only get 5 minutes per question.
Ready-Set-Go!
Ready-set- go! Start writing.
- What are the strengths of the business? Your employees? Your bank? Your suppliers? Your machines? Your processes?
- What assets do you have that can be pivoted and used differently during this time? In the future?
- What are the opportunities you and your business have now? In the next three months? In the next year? In the next 2 years?
- Where can you apply the strengths of your company? Now match up the strengths, assets, and opportunities to formulate viable ideas.
Next…
Are you asking yourself, “Great I’ve got all these ideas – Now what?” Pick one opportunity and apply the strengths and assets to it. Then pick a second one and so on, and so on.
As you complete each opportunity, rate it for ease of implementation and cost. Oh did I mention I like sticky notes?
By the way, ‘what’s with all the colors’
Sometimes people like the colors to have a purpose (assets, strengths, machines, etc.) it helps them visualize better
Sometimes people just grab a bunch of paper and just want to capture their ideas as fast as possible!
As you can see I’m the one who likes colors with purpose. The important part is be honest with yourself.
Think about the amount of time it will take (ease of implementation)
How much will it REALLY cost (resources, time, money, etc.)?
Take a Break
Whew! That was allot of work! Now it’s time to take a break and step away. This will allow your mind time to absorb everything you’ve done. If additional items come to mind write them down and place them on the board.
If you’re open to external influences, go through the exercise with others and see what they come up with. Don’t show them what you came up with until after they finish the exercise. Listen to what their thoughts were and why they think their information can help you, this may give you additional perspectives. Then share your sticky notes with them, get their feedback and do some additional building out of the idea. They may help you with connections, networks, capital to make your ideas more valuable and timely. Consolidate and assimilate all the ideas onto your board.
Sometimes having an external perspective is very helpful, however you have to open yourself up and be a little vulnerable. Yes its worth repeating because sometimes the owner, yes us, are the roadblock to our success.
Having trouble getting started? Give me a call, I offer a one-hour-free consultation. We can work on it together to get you started.
Don’t forget to come back for Lesson 2.