Seep, Creep, Leap

3 Year Goal Setting - Lessons from Perennials
Apparently this is common knowledge for gardeners, but it was news to me! A life coach of mine, Stephanie O'Dea, introduced me to the concept of applying it to goal setting. "Long range goals" have all sorts of philosophies. We all want a bit of reach without asking our crystal balls to see too far in the future. Three years seems reasonable.

Seep
This is where we plant seeds. Develop your action plan, marketing plan, and strategies. Get pieces of your business into place - dream up that website, get your feet wet in social media, make your lists of plans, and invest in some education. This is your heavy investing year. 

Creep
This is the year your efforts begin to take hold. You complete that certificate you were working on. You've tweaked your website to perfection. You've fumbled and learned some social media tricks along the way. Maybe you've gotten that email list going to send news to subscribers. The business cards are getting handed out regularly. You're attending networking events to meet those who need your services. You're making connections. You're figuring out what works and what doesn't as you have your first few customers! The roots are getting stronger. 

Leap
You're finally in your glory and blossoming! All of that hard work you put into creating your business is finally paying off! You've got some regular clients, you have routines to keep your marketing plan rolling for more customers, you have a handle on how best to do the administrative tasks, and you're showing a profit. Your calendar is filling and you're patting yourself on the back - you've made it! It only gets better from here! 

These Things Take Time
So let's take a lesson from our plants - growth and success don't happen overnight or all at once. Remember "Rome wasn't built in a day"? Take your time. Plan on your new business taking time! You're learning as you go. It takes time to make connections and network, to find your tribe. Three years is a good long term plan reference - not too short, not too long.

Where are you in your growth cycle and business plans?

I'd be honored to assist you at the start of your business (website and marketing) or end of your project (editing and proofreading) as we Read. Write. Engage. Let's chat!

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