This Sh!t Just Got Serious

Business Plan Book

So, yes, I am very old-school! Or maybe just plain old. I drafted my business plan on physical paper! By myself! No AI! The actual book is pictured above - I took that picture! I also took all the other pictures on this site (OK, I am cheating a bit in this post because the next two images are not mine, sorry).

Oy, though, business plans are heavy stuff. Definitely a work in progress. Maybe forever.

Drafting this book has been critical in informing this website. All the text I wrote in the book has ended up here in some form. And, yes, I wrote it all myself. Before I started, I looked online at the business plans of similar businesses, and I did some online business start-up courses.

Here are the business plan sections I added and completed so far:

• Narrative (describing the who, what, where, why, when)

• Values

• Value Proposition

• Products

• Problems Solving

• Customer

• Cost Considerations

• Partners and Mentors

• Channels

• Short Term Goals

• Long Term Goals

• Goals per month for the next six months in each of my four quadrants (Chicken operation, Sheep operation, Vegetable and Cut Flower operation, and Experiences operation)

I have also used the book for recordkeeping:

• Purchases

• Website & Domain

• Farmers Markets

• Licensing

HUGE shoutout to the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center and University of Wisconsin Extension!!! I could not have gotten this far without these invaluable resources. I have taken essential trainings and webinars and gotten connected to other groups and communities. The SBDC has amazingly supportive staff who gave me a great pep talk and walked me through how to complete the form to file for my LLC. Thank you thank you thank you.

Best of all? My SBDC contact encouraged me to celebrate with some ice cream. What better than a scoop from the best ice cream in Wisconsin (and possibly the world)? That would be This $&@! Just Got Serious® from the Chocolate Shoppe!

Get some ice cream now!

I encourage everyone to follow their dreams and launch a small business if that is where your dreams take you. Even when you are old. Even when you have so much to learn. Even when some days you cannot get a single thing checked off the list. Even when you do too much in one day and your body hurts. When you do get that thing checked off, and when you do give your body time to heal, and when you do look at your completed projects/products/mentors/fuzzy animals with a smile, it is all worth it.

A few tips I have so far after going through the initial start up activities:

1. It really does help to write things down. It makes them real. It makes you think of things you had not thought about that you should start thinking about.

2. Involve friends and family. They can tell you gently when you may want to look at things differently. They can lend a supportive ear. They can surprise and astound you with their creativity. Shout out to JANE for the name!!!!

3. Contact your local small business center. You might find a new friend!

4. Check out your local banks. They can be great, enthusiastic partners.

5. IT IS FREE TO GET AN EIN from IRS.gov. It may be really hard to find the correct page to do the free form. Just be patient and track that thing down! You have enough to pay for!

6. Look for free webinars locally and not just on YouTube (although of course use that resource!).

7. Ask questions and be open to answers.

8. Don't worry about getting it perfect. The business plan will evolve as you and your ideas evolve.

9. Don't be afraid of seeking out grants and programs to help even if you do not think they will get approved and even if you think your situation does not fit or is not "typical" for the program. Cost-share programs can really help with your start-up capital!

You've GOT this!