CLASS FIVE
You have asked and answered the question and you know what you want.It's now time to do the research or the work. Make a "From Dream to Reality" Plan
My Question
“How can I have a quilt shop?”
With the Internet
research can be pretty quick and easy. Read, go to the library and go to the reference
librarian, ask for information in book form on your subject. Read study, LEARN.
I needed the latest information in book form on the quilting, fabric, and craft
industry. Take notes, leave nothing to memory. (Use your notebook)
For a business you
must understand the laws in your area about licenses, taxes and insurance.
Learn it. Not the fun part, but a necessity. Talk with suppliers, get them off
the internet and make a phone call, always tell them you are new and have lots
of questions, they have products to sale and they will help you. A list of
questions always helps with this, email off a few questions to suppliers and
adds your name and phone number and they will call you, outline times that are
the best for them to call.
NOTE: Write everything down, with this information you
will be able to see your dream better and you will have it always. In mid-2009
we had a water pipe break in our basement, a complete redo, drywall, carpet,
everything. The best thing I found (in a plastic tub) my original notebook, a
wealth of information, my original plan, it re-energized me.
EXAMPLE :
I
broke my business down,
My business is a quilt shop.
Product
list
Set up
store hours
Grand
Opening ideas
A
years worth of events
Promotions
weekly, monthly, yearly
Idea’s
to get my message out.
Work
schedules
Employee
responsibilities
Personal
responsibilities
Lay
out a floor plan
Insurance
for employees
Insurance
for product – liability insurance
This is my Dream to Reality plan
I called
on rental space – this one can be hard. And as you will learn later on. Don’t
tell too much. You are just inquiring and not renting today, “I maybe wishful
thinking.” Ask questions, let them
talk. And always, call twice, I would
call and then I’d have my husband call a couple of days later, to see if we
received the same information.
Talk
with your area banker about an SBA loan,
this can be a long process and what you will learn, is to save all you can up
front. I took a class at the community college, “How to get a SBA loan.” It was
one evening and just the handouts were worth the small cost and time of the
class. Area Colleges are a wealth of
information, take classes, on writing, photography, and web design. Learn what
you need to make your business the best.
1. Outline your Dream
- What – type of business – type vacation
– type of wedding
- Where- Business in home, on Main Street,
a destination wedding, school on campus or on the internet
- When – your time line
- Money – your budget for each item, employees,
training, travel, clothing.
- Insurance – Medical- property –
liability.
- Make
the phone calls, do the research, make a 100% smart decision.
EXAMPLE :
“How can I be a
stay at home mom?”
Do you want to
work from home? Can you?
Size down, pay off
all bills
Do the numbers. What are your weekly costs of going to work? You
will need support, not just financially, but you will need a way to keep
medical insurance going and put groceries on the table, be realistic. Do the
numbers, factor in partners income also.
This 100% a number
decision – add and subtract the numbers
Will you like
being home? Make a daily list, fill your hours
Go part-time
This is your Dream to Reality plan – START
EXAMPLE :
“How can I do back to school?”
Do your internet research or library
research
Talk with area schools – funding – fees
Take one night class, can you do it? Can your
family do this? Will your present company help with tuition?
Put together a plan of action, baby
sitters for children, budget cost, meal preparation, sounds strange, but
everyone still need to eat and you need to read four chapters and do a
presentation for the next day.
Have a backup plan. The more organized
going in the better
This too has a financial side, you have
to eat, pay rent, and buy books
This is your Dream to Reality Plan – START
QUESTION:
Can
my idea move forward?
