A business plan is the real estate version of an Open House. Staying true to your vision of selling your idea (the real estate), maintaining the core business (the household workings) and repairing flaws as they occur (house maintenance) takes a concentrated effort on the part of the business entrepreneur.

Preparing a house for display often takes many months of work to enable the best price of sale.

Similarly, a solid business plan requires much thought, work, rework and consultation to reach the desired end. The vision of the business, not just the goal, requires focus with an ability to tweak, improve, reduce overheads, attract new markets and remain ethical without misrepresenting the original meaning of the business.

The maxim, "Plan your work and work your plan," loans itself nicely to approaching a business plan as a systemic step to vision achievement. The vast majority of new businesses fail within the first year of operation. Changing vision, being unprepared for growth, and lack of a business plan are often sited as the three major reasons for new business collapse.

By staying true to your vision, your business remains well placed to build upon a solid foundation of a well thought out plan. Building can only occur once the foundation and supporting infrastructure are in place, employees working to the same plan, and the shared vision of the completed project visible and open to discussion. Changes and improvements to the plan still fit within the blueprint of what the final product will look like. This is the flexibility within the vision.

Case example: Sally had a vision to bring a range of specific educational resources straight to the homes of affected families, rather than the resources remaining in the exclusive domain of professionals only. Her plan was to use local, home based women to make the resources and to market the resources via direct selling with small groups of parents in their own homes. This fitted her sub vision of empowering women, creating social capital, and treating the affected families as experts of their situations.

Initial quotes proved unworkable against Sally's start up budget. To be flexible and begin building her plan, Sally opted to have the first merchandise mass-produced in China. The profit gained enabled Sally to stay true to her vision and fund the home based production.

Sally's business is now 18 months old. Women in the community share her vision and value their contribution to helping other families help themselves.

Although it was not part of Sally's vision or plan, she has won two awards for socially responsible industry. Congratulations to Sally. Her business plan was a success because she stayed true to her vision.

Learn more about this author, Megan Bayliss.
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