A goal without a plan is just a wish.
So you've got this crazy-amazing idea, and you’re ready to rock the entrepreneurial world? Well, hold up just a sec, because we're here to chat about something really important - planning. Not everyone likes plans especially if it's not fun. But when you want to be successful in building your business, you need to have plans from A to Z.
Thinking of just winging it? You can, but without the proper blueprint and roadmap, you might find yourself in circles wondering why the money just isn't coming. Because you skipped this crucial part! Don't be that person and let that simple one-liner at the top sink in.
What we're talking about
Intro
Your Perfect Potion
The Modern Business Plan
Plan Like A Boss
INTRO
The power of female solopreneurship
If you don't already know yet, solopreneurship is not something new nor something ancient. It's a fairly modern word depicting someone aka an entrepreneur who is building a business on their own.
In today's modern world, there are far more and more women deciding to start their own businesses in hopes of having more freedom to live their lives the way they want to. Yes, there are caveats to doing everything on your own but there are benefits to look forward to in the long run (if you just dare not to give up).
- Self-fulfillment
- Financial freedom
- Becoming your own boss
- Working from home (or anywhere)
- Spending more time with loved ones
- Escaping the 9 to 5 grind
- and so on
Women have the innate nature to be motherly and will treat their businesses like their own offspring. They will take good care of it, nurture it, protect it, and lead it to a path that they know is in their best interest. This is why starting your own business as a female solopreneur can be one of the greatest decisions and achievements of your life.
The whys and hows of planning success
Before starting your venture as a self-made female solopreneur, you've got to have the right plan - right? Yes. Otherwise, you are probably setting yourself up for failure or a lot of avoidable mistakes.
Why do you need to plan everything out? Because it will provide a clear direction and purpose on why you are building what you are building in the first place. It will also help set your milestones which can help you achieve your goals and mitigate undesirable risks.
Planning will guide your decision-making and aid you in testing and implementing strategies in various aspects such as marketing, content, and product/service creation.
So, how do you plan effectively and efficiently in the first place?
- Decide on how you want to do it. By that, we mean the technology you are comfortable working with. Do you prefer to write by hand or are you the type of person who embraces the power of digital tools such as apps?
- Choose the guide that resonates with you. There are plenty of resources out there to help you plan the business of your dreams and it's only a matter of time before you find that one blueprint that works for you.
- Stick to your chosen methods but be adaptable. It's easy to fall prey to "shiny object syndrome" which is why sticking to whatever method you choose is crucial. However, always be adaptable. If you learn about a certain method that makes sense for you and it isn't in what you currently have, add it in! This should be a no brainer!
"In the sacred scripture of entrepreneurship, the Plan is the Holy Bible - guiding through unknown terrains, illuminating paths, and leading the faithful to the promised land of success."
Anonymous
Your 🗺 roadmap to success
When you plan, you essentially create the roadmap for your company. It will help you draft clear goals that you can dissect into smaller actionable goals. It also paints a clear picture of the foundation and will help you formulate strategies to set it up for success.
Just imagine yourself as the sailor and your plan as the map to your north 🌟 star (business success). You identify your true north and you chart your course in order to get there. In this journey, you will navigate both calm waters and raging storms. Always remember to keep your eye on the treasure, no matter what.
Here are some (un)fun facts from The Zebra:
- In the first year of small business launch, half already failed.
- Greater than 50% struggle with finances.
- Once financial crisis hits, 25-45% are not able to stay opened.
Regardless, what we're just trying to say is to keep pushing even when you feel like giving up. Don't let it be an option.
YOUR PERFECT POTION
Getting clear on your vision
Remember "shiny object syndrome"? Let's tackle this bad boy down. When we first launched, we envisioned a small design studio here in Seattle with several clients who work with us to keep their small business in tip top shape. Then, we had ideas of branching out and doing a totally different thing such as building a dog brand for pet owners. And the list went on.
Did we start those projects? Oh, yes we did.
Did we finish those projects? No, we did not.
We got blinded by all of the ideas and lost our true north. You see, if you make the same mistake that we did way back then, it will halt your progress by a huge amount of time especially if you are a DIY solopreneur. If you get ideas that is not within the scope of your vision, jot it down for later and re-route your focus back to your main mission.
The recipe to success
Is there a single recipe to success? Some may say yes, some may say no. We say, your recipe to success is tailored only to you. It is different for everyone but the ingredients will pretty much be similar. Yes, you need the right mindset and the right attitude. You need to be persistent and disciplined. Yaddah, yaddah.
Not that we condone these traits, but what do you really need to be successful in your business venture?
💡 You need the right mentor. You need someone who knows what it's like to be in your position right now and you need someone who is in the position of where you want to be. Having a true mentor will drastically change you as a human being. You will discover a wealth of information you've never known before, and you will learn how to un-learn misconceptions that have been hardwired in your working class brain.
So find your person, connect with them, and learn from them.
Uncovering your Digital Qi
We are spiritual beings here at Millennial Bella. That's why we created the Digital Qi Persona. We believe that unlocking your inner digital qi is crucial when making the decision on which online business model framework you should follow.
There are three digital "energies" we formulated based on several factors such as your personality, your true passion, and your subconscious persona.
- The Service Luminary
- The Digital Maven
- The Retail Empress
Of course, there is not one specific persona for everyone. They often overlap and may even be matching up to say the least. However, like we said earlier and going back to the dreaded "shiny object syndrome", your ideal match will allow you to discover the one true path as your starting point. When followed, it will lead you to your true 🌟 north.
Crafting SMART goals
Have you heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals? This is one of our secreat weapon when it comes to creating goals like a pro! A lot of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and enterprises use it and you should too.
Here's the full SMART goal written in a sentence:
I will publish my ebook on Modern Manners by Spring of 2024 and I will do this by producing an outline of my book, finalizing my book chapters every month, and submitting my work at the Kindle marketplace.
Note that there are a variety of ways on how you can write this and this is just an example. In general, we write SMART goals for big projects and then jot down mini-goals or actionable steps on how we plan to achieve them.
Think of a tree when creating your goals. There will be big branches (big goals) and there will be small branches (small goals/action steps).
Lastly, make it an "I will" instead of an "I want" or "I need". Goals are meant to be achieved, not dreamt of. Let's start acting as doers instead of dreamers.
THE MODERN BUSINESS PLAN
Traditional business plans are so yesterday. Nobody likes them (except maybe for our boomer gens) because they are not only lengthy but boring and fluffy too. So we came up with our very own using our magical ball 🔮 and transformed it into something more tangible.
We like to make things simpler and more digestible so that anyone who has the dream (regardless of their know-how) are able to take advantage of what they can do and not be limited by what they do not know.
The business model framework
Before we dive in to the modern business plan, let's circle back to the business model framework. We briefly discussed this together with your digital qi. In this section, we'll give you a quick overview of each framework to help you decide which fits you best.
The Service Luminary
You are a born helper and natural nurturer. You often find yourself surrounded by people asking for your advice because of your undeniable ability to problem solve effectively.
The Retail Empress
You set the stage like a true queen with your valor for tangible objects. The art and craft of fulfilling product orders from storage to shipping brings out the retail prowess in you.
The Digital Maven
Mastering the science of the digital continuum is your superpower. Combined with your innate creativity and tech-savviness, you can transform anything in your mind into virtual reality for your audience.
Solopreneur Quick Launch Digital Business Planner
Now that you have an idea of the three digital qis, it's time to carve out the pathway to your freedom! Which one did you resonate with the most? Felt like you're all of it? You've got some pondering to do! Which roadmap will it be (first)?
Just a gentle reminder that you are not limited to one. However, you have to focus on one and then proceed with the others later. Otherwise, you run the risk of being stuck with several projects and banging your head on the wall. Trust the process.
Ready to Build Your (first) online business?
Our planner is designed to be your companion in this exciting journey. With its step-by-step format, it’ll guide you through every stage of launching your online business in as little as seven days.
✔️ Map out your goals
✔️ Undated + lifetime version updates
✔️ Beginner-friendly
✔️ Digital use or print and bind!
✔️ [NEW + SOON] Kazien Hub free access
The Solopreneur Business Planner
If you're an established business with all of your [insert curse word or your most awesome adjective here] together, we'd like to take the time to introduce the ultimate business planner for DIY solopreneurs which is set to launch Winter of 2024.
If you buy the Quick Launch Planner, you can pre-order it for half off. Otherwise, come back and check once it launches or sign up for the reminder down below.
PLAN LIKE A BOSS
Tech tools
What's planning without the right tech in your hands? We are not ending this article without you leaving with something useful. This is why we have curated the best free tools to help you plan & organize your online business venture with ease.
We have compiled the ten software apps that we swear by (and use); Plus! An extra five more that we think you'd like! Most of which are free to use with paid plans available at affordable rates.
We curated this with the goal of helping you become a frugal business owner as much as possible.
Foundational support
One thing we consider as a pillar to planning your online business for success is having the right people around you. When you surround yourself with people who have the same goals as you, you become more accountable for your own actions.
One thing we've learned early on is that the right mentor will always make sure that you are taking actionable steps towards your goals. So, surround yourself with people who are greater than you.
"If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room."
Confucius
You can interpret this however you want but in essence, when you are starting out, you need people who have been in your shoes to show you the way. This will allow you to not make the same common mistakes that these great people have done. It saves time, money, and sanity.
Mindshift chronicles
Most importantly, plan to learn and un-learn. Let's repeat that one more time. Plan to learn and un-learn. You got that?
Solopreneurship or entrepreneurship is a journey of discovery. There will be a lot of learnings you will uncover. It is a lifelong journey for as long as you stay in this wonderful self-development expedition.
On the contrary, as you go along your pathway, you will need to un-learn a lot of perceptions and comprehensions you've absorbed in the past. Be prepared to think outside the box, scrutinize details, and seek out unconventional wisdom from this point onward.
You're in a different generation now. It's time to break the glass ceiling and spread your wings. Go fly.
TL'DR
If you skimmed through and didn't read the entire content, that's okay. That's what TLDRs (too long, didn't read) are for and we got them right here for you. Not judging (sort of)!
- Planning is crucial when starting your first online business.
- Utilize tools that will help you save money when you are just starting out. Avoid too much overhead costs.
- Being a solopreneur is a journey of self-discovery and requires lifelong learning. You will need to learn and un-learn at the same time.
- Surround yourself with people who are ahead of you. Learn from them.
- Your Digital Qi can help you uncover your most ideal pathway when launching your first online business.
- The Quick Launch Solopreneur Digital Business Planner is a step-by-step guide on how you can launch your first online business from idea to business in as little as seven days.