Planning for Success

I am changing the name of business planning to planning for success. When I start to talk about business planning, people begin to get anxious or they glaze over. Very few get that sparkly interested look in their eye and really engage. I’ve discovered that there is a fear of business planning, mostly because business planning is foreign and unfamiliar territory. I’ll bet that when I start talking to people about planning for success, they will respond in a more open fashion, be curious and want to engage.

As part of the horse industry, I’m sure that you have encountered breeds that are misunderstood. Business planning….ummmm…..planning for success is like that too. Many people say that their plan is in their head. And what there is of it may well be, but there are usually many missing elements. Just by articulating it and getting it onto paper, you provide yourself with the opportunity to read it back to yourself and see if it makes sense to you. This gives you the chance to improve on it, before mistakes are made and bad decisions have cost you a ton of money and time. No one wakes up and says. “Today I am going to make bad business decisions.” Yet, if you don’t actively engage in business planning…..ummm….planning for success….in a committed fashion, you have elected to make ill-informed decisions that may be devastating to your business.

Another misconception is that a business plan becomes a doorstop when it’s completed, or that it gets put onto the back of a deep dark shelf somewhere never to see the light of day again. Still others think that once the plan is completed that they must follow it exactly. Neither of these is correct. A businesss plan….ummmm….plan for success…..is a living document, just as your business is a living entity of its own. Going through the process of developing a plan gives you a process to follow again in the future as you consider new products, services and markets. Reviewing your plan quarterly allows you to spot variations in your projections. This gives you the time to evaluate whether your initial assumptions were off base, and if so what else is affected as you move forward. If your initial assumptions were correct, you can determine what is needed to get back on track. And as time moves forward the environment may change in ways that couldn’t have been predicted (September 11, for example). This is a good time to redirect your plan accordingly.

Do you remember what it was like when you learned how to ride without your stirrups? At first you didn’t like it much – it made you nervous, your balance and strength weren’t very good, and you were pretty sure you’d never be able to do it. But as you practiced more, your balance and strength improved and you appreciated the solid foundation it gave you as your riding skills developed. Planning for success is like that too. After you’ve been through the process once, you’ll appreciate the new contacts and resources that have become acquainted with. You’ll also know what steps to take when you are considering complicated business decisions in the future. With a step-by-step process, you can build a solid foundation for your equine business and take the first steps towards success. For more information about business planning….ummm….planning for success, check out Demystifying Business Planning: Concept, Customer, Cash.

Sustainability - What's It All About?

The Green movement is all around us and on a regular basis we hear the words “green” and “sustainable” used interchangeably. Green evokes visions of recycling, natural products, energy efficiency and carbon footprint calculations. But my guess is that “sustainable” paints a more nebulous picture in your mind’s eye. So I saw this great diagram - thanks to Teachers: California Academy of Sciences - that provides a visual for sustainability. Basically this diagram shows what is being called the TBL – or triple bottom line. Instead of considering profit only, business sustainability also considers the human element and the planet. The diagram also included this definition of sustainability: “to meet the current needs of our global population without compromising those of future generations.”

Wow, that’s a lot to think about…having what we need now without compromising the future. It provides us with a challenge and call to action. Yup, it’s about change. The challenge and change aspects could be enough of a reason just to back-burner it all given everything else that’s already on our plates. So here’s what I’m going to do to work towards sustainability, and maybe it’s an approach that will work for you too.

Unless you have a mind that already thinks from the middle of this diagram, it could certainly be overwhelming to try to leap from the outer three areas directly into the middle. (And certainly even the profitability factor frequently needs much attention in the horse industry.) So I’m going to take it one baby step at a time and look at each element individually. I’m going to write down steps that I’ve taken already and other steps to consider. For example, I use fly predators on my property instead of insecticide systems, and also use a solar fence charger. This approach is helping me to see how I can shift my resources – not necessarily spend more – but spend what I would have in a different way. The more steps I take like this, the more it opens my awareness to other steps and to a more holistic approach. So what do you think? About sustainability, about what you’ve done working towards this. I’d love to hear about your efforts towards sustainability and other ways to approach it – please share with us here.

What kind of entrepreneur are you?

Lately I’ve heard several folks saying they have too much going on and need to give something up. Some of them know what they want to give up, but are reticent to do so. They don’t feel the same energy now around a product or service that they once did. But they still feel reluctant to let it go because of the energy and passion they have invested in it and the clients they have associated with it. This can be disconcerting the first time that it happens, but once you recognize that this will happen, it all becomes a little easier to work through.

Over the years of running my own businesses I’ve come to realize that it’s an organic process, and that even the sunshine burns if you get too much. There are ebbs and flows to my energy, my ideas, my creativity, and my passion. These don’t necessarily correlate to what’s happening in my business, but sometimes they do. And being an entrepreneur, or should I say “equipreneur,” is a journey to discovery – about the market, the world, and myself. Through my years of investigation about entrepreneurship I’ve also learned that there are many different kinds of entrepreneurs. There are serial entrepreneurs, who like breathing life into a venture but have no interest in running it over the long-term. They are off and running starting something else before you can blink your eyes. There are high-growth entrepreneurs that start businesses that take off like a rocket and do a lot for job and wealth creation. There are lifestyle entrepreneurs who focus more on the lifestyle they are able to lead rather than making a ton of money. If they can earn a comfortable living, that’s what they are after. Here’s one great article that provides a little more background on this thinking: “The 9 Personality Types of Entrepreneurs” at http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/development/a/personality.htm.

My journey, so far, has been as a lifestyle entrepreneur. And when I’m feeling a little burned out, I understand that this is not the best time for me to make a decision about what to keep and what to let go of in my business. Instead, I take a sabbatical. I don’t leave my clients in the lurch, and I am sure to complete any projects and promises. But I do let them know that I am shifting gears for a little while and that I’ll keep in touch about any changes that may occur. This approach has always worked well for me. I spend some time reflecting on why I began my business and various services. And the realization that it was for a broader life’s journey purpose, I am able to renew. When my sabbatical is over, I return with new ideas and new energy and with even more to offer than before.

So, what kind of entrepreneur are you? Identifying your entrepreneurial style and rhythm will help to guide you to the trail through the peaks and valleys of your business journey.

Weeds, Wildflowers and Wordle

What is a weed? I have heard it said that there are sixty definitions. For me, a weed is a plant out of place. ~Donald Culross Peattie

May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown


At this time of year the dandelions take over my yard. I let them. I love the vibrant yellow that they bring, followed by the glorious puff balls that have earned them the nickname of “Wish Flower.” And so dandelions beg the question: weed or wildflower? It all depends on your perspective.

Just like weeds and wildflowers, problems can also be viewed from another perspective. A colleague recently commented that problems are unsolved opportunities. The ability to step into other shoes and look through others eyes is a skill that often provides a business owner with great insight and problem solving that they require. When other shoes and other eyes don’t seem to come easily, Wordle may provide just the shift you are looking for.

Wordle can be found at http://www.wordle.net/. It’s a fun and creative way to look at words and to create word clouds. You provide the words, push the create button, and the cloud that is created highlights words that appear most frequently.

Using Wordle with your marketing may provide you insight you won’t gain anywhere else. Use your text from your flyers and brochures– what do you see? How about text from your website? Need another way to view your professional portfolio, bio or resume? Wordle may show you that your emphasis is not in the areas that you intend. Give it a try – you might just turn dandelions into wish flowers!


A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows. ~Doug Larson

But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow where people want something else. In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit. Weeds are people's idea, not nature's. ~Author Unknown

Management Message from the Natural World

Last night I was eating a bowl of pasta for dinner and heard an odd sound coming from the basement that I really couldn't identify. I leave the door from the kitchen to the basement open a crack all day so that the cats have the run of the house. Just as I was about to get up to check it out, the sound changed into one that I could identify - the soft jingling of sleigh bells. I have several strings of them hanging by the stairs and the youngest cat plays with them. (This makes me laugh because I had nicknamed her Ring-ting-tingler before she had ever discovered them.) So I settled back into the chair when another kind of commotion began. I looked up to see a bird flying into the kitchen from the basement being pursued by my two cats. A big bird! I think it was a grackle! The bird had perched up on my cabinets. I leaped out of the chair and was now a couple feet away from the bird, thinking that if I could get the bird into a towel somehow, I could let it free. But one cat was hot in pursuit so the bird flew right towards me - no doubt it was as horrified as I was. I instantly ducked and when I looked up the bird was gone. Where??? I did not know but it couldn't be far. I carefully checked the rubber plant in the corner, but no luck. I headed for the basement to see if it had gone back down, and as I descended the stairs the cats followed me. They must have thought I had the inside scoop on where the bird was. A quick look around the basement revealed no signs of it there. So I headed back upstairs and as I stepped back into the kitchen, the bird reappeared on top of the other cabinet. Smart bird - it had been waiting for the cats to disappear, so I quickly spun on my heels and shut the basement door behind me to keep the cats there. Of course now my dog was excited by all the commotion so I closed her in the guest bedroom. I finished by shutting all remaining open doors to minimize places the bird could go and opened the door to outside. I stood between the kitchen and dining room to encourage the bird to head to the door. First it tried to fly out the closed window by the sink and then hopped onto the counter and behind the microwave looking for escape. Finally it hopped onto the floor and around the refrigerator and saw the open door. Without a moments further hesitation it took flight out the door. I still have absolutely no idea how the bird got into my basement in the first place since I was unable to find any opening from the inside and or outside. I am attributing it to magic.

So what does this have to do with your horse business? Compare it to how you react when an unexpected issue occurs. How quick are you on your feet? Do you start trouble shooting the issue right away? Do you work to minimize other possible complications? When the immediate situation has resolved, do you look for the root cause? And when no rational answer presents itself, can you let go of it and move on? There are many different ways and styles to manage a business, and as a business owner/manager its a good idea for you to be in touch with your personal style. Knowing your style allows you to identify your strengths and your weaknesses. And by knowing this, you'll know when to react and when to ask for help. Self-awareness is one stepping stone towards success.