When you hear the words business plan do you start to groan inside? 😔

I get it. When I use to hear these words I would tune out into la la land and make a dismissive comment in my mind with some form of, “eh, what do I need that for?”

One of the main reasons I had this knee jerk reaction was because I didn’t really understand what a business plan was or why it was important.

It also drudged up the fear that a business plan would cramp my intuitive, creative style.

How could I know what to plan for in my business for the next year?

I didn’t want to feel constricted.

That’s why I started my own business 7 years ago: to have more flow and freedom!

The unconscious fear that creating a business plan would interfere with my creativity, passion and spontaneity.

Of course this wasn’t true, but it felt like it because at the time my personal and business life didn’t feel integrated.

Eventually, I learned that having a business plan is quite the opposite of interference.

Creating a business plan with presence (aka my intuition, higher power and universal help) actually helps me feel more flowy than if I left out one or the other.

Combining practical business strategies with an intuitive foundation becomes a gift that balances trusting inner guidance with inspired action.

Of course, my nerdy brain likes to know “why” the “things” work.

Which is what my body of work is all about!

How to connect the two realms by seeing them as an extension of one another.

While understanding that each components is supporting the larger whole!

When you create a business plan with your inner guidance, it will lift you up.

It will propel you towards the highest possible outcome.

It will help you focus on your heart centered goals and desires.

A business plan is not an attempt to control outcomes that cannot be controlled.

It’s an intentional summary of what you decide is in your control for the next several months.

It’s flexible, it’s experimental and it’s organic.

It’s intuitive and alive.

Now we’re talking!

With this new perspective I hope you start to see how important and helpful a simple, easy to understand business plan can be!

I’ve broken down each component of the business plan so that you can follow along with your own and understand the “why” behind it all.

1. Your Intentional Word of the Year

For all the woo I teach I have always gotten a visceral reaction to the word intention.

However, I’ve learned that it’s not actually the word or even the meaning that’s giving the reaction, it’s my own confusion, doubt, or misunderstanding about how it applies to me.

Often when I don’t understand or fear something, I energetically push it away as a default first. (Glad I’m catching it now more and more!)

Choosing an intentional word that represents qualities of your true self is a great way to remember cultivating them in the new year.

What we focus our attention on grows!

Having this intentional anchor is a way to shift our focus to what we are doing well. It also reminds us of the qualities that are our birthright.

Remember, the qualities of our true self help us to prevent distraction and allow us to recalibrate when we get distracted. They do this because these qualities always live here, in the present moment.

2. Get Clear on Your Heart Centered Why

Oh the heart centered why …. how I love thee.

The “heart centered why” is the first step towards creating a solid and supportive foundation for your business.

It is the starting point on the roadmap to Confident CEO mastery which lives within.

It's another anchor moving forward, rooted in your values, that you can constantly lean into whenever twists and turns occur as you develop your business.

It’s exactly what I use to stay connected to my heart in business each and every day.

Do you have one? 

If so, have you reflected on it lately? 

Why would you need a heart centered why anyways?

✔️ It’s the blueprint for your new or evolving business that will align you moving forward

✔️ It’s the compass that allows your ideal clients to discover you

✔️ It's the platform for your meaningful mission and message

✔️ It empowers your genius so you can get visible online (which means getting paid for doing what you love)

✔️ It is your anchor when challenges arise.

✔️ The beauty of the why is that it's not one and done.

The deeper you go in your life and business journey, the more you have to revisit your why if you value staying connected and fulfilled versus just going through the motions.

The heartfelt why is vital in creating a sustainable business that honors your heart. Of course I got you. You can dig deep into yours with my free 3 day ecourse.

3. Your Ideal Client Description

I’m sure if you’ve been circling around the business world half a minute you have heard people saying how important it is to know your ideal client and to get as specific as you possible can.

Being visible in the online world requires getting super clear on your ideal client so that your voice + message is like a clear, bold, bright light guiding your ideal clients to you.

This is important for in person marketing but even more important online because there is so much stimulation coming into our perception at any given moment.

The clearer you are about where your ideal client hangs out, what they like, what their personality is and what the specific problem they need help with, the easier you will be seen over time.

Your ideal client is a foundational component of your business plan!

4. Set Your 3 Month Goal

Often times we don’t get started on developing our business because it feels super overwhelming. Fear of doing things perfectly, fears of success and doubts about putting yourself out there all will inevitably creep up as you desire and take action on getting visible.

This is why having a 3 month goal on your business plan will break things down into simpler steps. It gives you the opportunity to experiment with your strategies, gives you a time frame so you can evaluate your results and provides valuable information so you can tweak whatever needs it for the next 3 month period.

5. What is your Value-Providing Freebie? (This is the sample of your teachings or product)

You may have heard it described as a freebie, opt-in or lead magnet. They are one in the same.

Freebies are nifty little samples (think ice cream shop tasting) of what you have to offer.

Freebies can be cheatsheets, pdfs, audio recordings, video trainings . . . you name it.

Freebies are a sample of how to solve one small step in the problem that your ideal client is struggling with,

What’s nice is that in exchange for giving out your free samples, your potential clients will give you their email so you can send it to them.

This is how they get to know you, your style and get to know you better.

You are also providing quick answer to one of the first steps of their problem.

6. Offer You Love That Solves Your Ideal Client’s Problem (The vessel of Connection & Transformation)

Your offer is where your ideal clients will pay you for your entire process to solve their problem.

You provide the info, the energy, the transformation, maybe even your presence, in exchange for their money (their energy) and hopefully engagement!

Start viewing your paid offers in this way. They are vessels and it is an energy exchange that works for both of you.

Just providing a freebie that gives only a small piece of the puzzle is not going to help everyone and your clients will be looking for your support to go deeper.

These are your ideal clients and they need the whole picture . . . which you have!

FYI! Choose 1 offer kids.

So often we have a ton of ideas (I wouldn’t expect anything different from a lovely creative!) however, the influx of ideas can actually be a deterrent when it has us starting over again and again and not making traction on a specific offer.

Start with 1 offer and fine tune that one.

Just like the freebie, you can always add in another one in due time.

7. The Top 3 Marketing Strategies You Do Best

Yes, we live in an era where there is more on top of more with a side of more. There is always another platform, another collaboration, another way of putting yourself out there. The beauty is, you don’t have to do #allthethings. You get to keep things simple with what you do best.

Over time, you may wish to invest more (via time, energy or money) to add some new marketing angles.

You might decide to outsource the tasks to a VA or manager who can take certain marketing strategies off your plate.

Until then, be honest with yourself about what you can do.

Start with one thing and see if you can stay consistent with it.

You can re-evaluate and see if you want to add another in time.

8. Consistent Content Creation

Value, visibility, consistency. All things that can be addressed through choosing a type of content (blog, podcast, video) that you can produce weekly to showcase your expertise and style.

Again, choose 1 to start! If you can stay consistent with one over time, you can always add more. Make sure to send out your amazing content to your email list each week as well.

9. Social Media Platform of Choice

Another place to share your content? Social media. Pick 1! Noticing a theme here? Keep it simple of course. This is a great way to find out more about where your ideal client likes to hang out.

You won’t know until you start experimenting to commit to one platform for 3 months and see how your engagement is! If it’s not working, you can always change the platform after that or if it is, maybe then you can add another.

All in all my friends, claim your value, claim the gifts you offer & watch your world change! xoxo, Jen