https://rickbaker.ca/category/business-plan-writing-plans/ Rick Baker's Thought Posts — plain-spoken writing on leadership, business values, communication, habits, and the people side of building a business. Publishing since 2008. en-ca https://rickbaker.ca/post/make-meetings-so-laborious-people-choose-to-do-the-work-between-them-over-discussing-excuses-during-them/https://rickbaker.ca/post/make-meetings-so-laborious-people-choose-to-do-the-work-between-them-over-discussing-excuses-during-them/Thu, 17 Jun 2021 07:12:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of excuses. Anticipate Situations . https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-are-spending-too-much-time-fighting-fires-at-work-your-career-is-getting-doused/https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-are-spending-too-much-time-fighting-fires-at-work-your-career-is-getting-doused/Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:10:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet The economy would get a serious boost if 10% of business people would apply the 80/20 Rule and spend more time doing work… https://rickbaker.ca/post/an-ounce-of-problem-finding-is-worth-a-pound-of-problem-solving-2020/https://rickbaker.ca/post/an-ounce-of-problem-finding-is-worth-a-pound-of-problem-solving-2020/Thu, 03 Dec 2020 07:07:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. [an old saying, containing wisdom of the ages] Q: But how? A: Thinking ahead… https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-cannot-see-the-forest-for-the-trees-youre-too-far-out-on-that-limb/https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-cannot-see-the-forest-for-the-trees-youre-too-far-out-on-that-limb/Sat, 19 Sep 2020 07:34:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Few people possess the ability to think strategically while having a solid grasp of the details of the plan. Some people do not… https://rickbaker.ca/post/100-grams-of-planning-is-worth-a-tonne-of-excuses/https://rickbaker.ca/post/100-grams-of-planning-is-worth-a-tonne-of-excuses/Sun, 26 Apr 2020 07:56:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Some things are worthy of forethought. Some things are worthy of planning . Some situations can and should be anticipated. https://rickbaker.ca/post/choose-planning-as-the-saying-goes-failing-to-plan-is-planning-to-fail/https://rickbaker.ca/post/choose-planning-as-the-saying-goes-failing-to-plan-is-planning-to-fail/Thu, 04 May 2017 08:05:00 -0500Strategic Planning does not have to be a frustrating, time-consuming, or boring process. A quality strategic plan does not have to be lengthy. After all, the… https://rickbaker.ca/post/personal-values-rules-of-engagement-setting-off-those-hot-button-alarms/https://rickbaker.ca/post/personal-values-rules-of-engagement-setting-off-those-hot-button-alarms/Tue, 31 Jan 2017 08:56:00 -0500When it comes to personal values , there are a handful of common Hot Buttons where differing views about personal values cause problems. Examples include… https://rickbaker.ca/post/stopping-to-think-about-crm-tools/https://rickbaker.ca/post/stopping-to-think-about-crm-tools/Mon, 05 Dec 2016 07:58:00 -0500The operations of most small businesses become far more complicated than outsiders [and most insiders] would have guessed or expected…and much of that… https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-gotta-learn-how-to-tune-strings-before-you-can-become-a-rock-star/https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-gotta-learn-how-to-tune-strings-before-you-can-become-a-rock-star/Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:28:00 -0500That concept holds true if you want to be a successful business leader. It isn't a question of patience. It's a question of competence. It's about what it… https://rickbaker.ca/post/taking-another-swot-at-strategic-planning/https://rickbaker.ca/post/taking-another-swot-at-strategic-planning/Mon, 06 Jul 2015 07:06:00 -0500...creating simple tools to help expand the use of SWOT . For example, the following simple table helps focus thinking and discussion on S & W & O & T while… https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-are-in-business-to-generate-money/https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-are-in-business-to-generate-money/Thu, 28 Nov 2013 08:49:00 -0500Yes – there are many other reasons why you are driven to be in business. Regardless, you are in business to generate money. You have set a plan for your… https://rickbaker.ca/post/taking-swot-to-an-even-better-place/https://rickbaker.ca/post/taking-swot-to-an-even-better-place/Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:36:00 -0500STRENGTHS : The Gallup people presented Strengths as a combination of Talent, Knowledge, & Skills. Talent is not enough on its own. It must be coupled with… https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-828/https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-828/Wed, 18 Sep 2013 08:32:00 -0500Thought Tweet #828 Failure to spend up-front time building a succession plan that incorporates other people ensures two problems. The Thinking Behind The… https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-715/https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-715/Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:01:00 -0500Thought Tweet #715 When a combination of skills, goals, & plans is not present, people give up their dreams & hope. The Thinking Behind The Tweet Skills… https://rickbaker.ca/post/a-new-and-improved-picture-of-leadership-priorities/https://rickbaker.ca/post/a-new-and-improved-picture-of-leadership-priorities/Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:00:00 -0500Here is a new-and-improved picture of leadership priorities.. This picture shows the way leadership priorities need to be adapted. This is the Strategic… https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-625/https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-625/Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:55:00 -0500Thought Tweet #625 Know what you know, see what you don't know: then, learn about making your business grow. The Thinking Behind The Tweet There's an old… https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-479/https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-479/Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:00 -0500Thought Tweet #479 Planning is not a cookie-cutter process; planning must blend strategic thinking with strategic intuition . The Thinking Behind The Tweet… https://rickbaker.ca/post/boil-down-your-business/https://rickbaker.ca/post/boil-down-your-business/Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:00:00 -0500Boil down your business. That's what Robert Collier did at Volume 5 of his 1926 classic, ' The SECRET of the Ages '. He stated, " Volumes have been written… https://rickbaker.ca/post/plan-your-work-work-your-plan/https://rickbaker.ca/post/plan-your-work-work-your-plan/Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:00:00 -0500Some business people Plan Their Work & Work Their Plan . These people feel most comfortable when they have spent the time to plan before they act. These… https://rickbaker.ca/post/strategic-planning-why-bother/https://rickbaker.ca/post/strategic-planning-why-bother/Fri, 06 May 2011 05:30:00 -0500Strategic Planning does not have to be an annoying, frustrating, waste of time! Strategic Planning does not have to be a ‘necessary evil’! I don't think… https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-perfect-pitch/https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-perfect-pitch/Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:30:00 -0500More thoughts on pitching business ideas I had the pleasure of visiting with my friend Chris Labrador at The Communitech Hub a week ago. At one point in our… https://rickbaker.ca/post/about-writing-a-business-plan-a-note-to-a-friend/https://rickbaker.ca/post/about-writing-a-business-plan-a-note-to-a-friend/Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:30:00 -0500As promised, I'm writing to provide a summary of content for a mini business plan . By "mini business plan", I mean something much more like an executive…