If you’re a parent, you’ll know all about different stages of development.
As our children grow,we’re used to thinking about what’s coming up.
What’s the next big milestone? And how did it all go so fast!? What will life look like for our family in ten years time?
You want to be able to enjoy the work you’re doing in the present, but also be able to plan for the future.
To do that, you need to know where you are right now, and what it’s going to take to reach the next milestone.
Two important things to know about our business blueprint, whatever size business you are, from cookery school franchise and bespoke plastering to creative designers and everyone in between.
We make the accounting process as quick and simple as possible by using the best online accounting software and apps just like Xero.
Your future is our top priority. Your goals will change as your business grows, so we’ll be reviewing them every year to make sure we’re always looking forward.
You can’t build your family home without a blueprint. Your business is the same. You need a direction and planning to show exactly how to achieve your grand design.
At this stage, it’s all about laying foundations – and you’re probably equal levels of excited and nervous. You’re fed up of building someone else’s empire, but where do you start with building your own? It can feel like a big risk to try and replace the income you’ve relied on during your years of employment. You’ve got some budget to get an awesome first logo design, get your first business cards, and then you see your first tax bill and the anxiety kicks in.
This stage is defined by new commitments. You might be taking on your first employee, or moving into your first office. You might finally be able to delegate some stuff! What a relief. But with all these changes come with their own unique challenges – what do I need to do to start paying wages? What on earth do I need to know about employment law? What happens now you’re over the VAT threshold? The stress of covering your bills every month may be behind you in stage 1, but as your business starts to expand, you need to make sure you have control of it.
The sales are expanding, the offices are expanding, the team is expanding. As you stretch your business more and more, you may start to feel stretched too. But if you have the right people in the right seats (whether than be your in-house team or outsourced help) and you’re in control of what’s coming in and what’s going out, you’ll be starting to feel more like a business owner and less like you’re just doing a job. You might also be able to start reaping some of the rewards of all your hard work – time for a holiday?
It has happened. You’ve achieved financial freedom, but more importantly, time freedom. At this stage, you’re living whatever an ideal life means to you – more time with the kids, a 4 hour work week, time to invest in that hobby you’ve been dreaming about for years. You’ve reached your life goal of owning a house abroad, moving to the country, of having more holiday time. You’re finally able to fully invest in your future, because your job now is to move the business forward, rather than work within it.
Maybe you just want to stay content in this stage, or maybe you’re eager to find the next challenge.
