Even in a solo business, plans and partners are necessary

When starting a business alone, whether it's a startup, a business pivot, or scaling up, if you try to do everything by yourself, you might run out of steam at some point.

It's fine when the business is stable, but when environmental changes require new initiatives, you end up in a situation similar to launching a new business.
In such cases, do you prefer to do it alone or with a partner? Which do you prefer?
Today, that is what I would like to talk about.

A solo business is the ultimate new business!

I believe that in a solo business, every daily activity is essentially a new business. It would be nice if you had stable customers and sales, but many solo business owners feel that because the situation changes daily, there is no such thing as stability.

That is why I would like solo business owners to also make use of this checklist.

What is a plan for a solo business?

When you are running a business alone, you might tend to think that plans are meaningless. However, please try comparing it to one year ago. Are your sales growing steadily? Are your savings increasing consistently? It is no use blaming others, such as the pandemic.

Plans are necessary for proper reflection. If you look back at the numerical plans and action lists you initially created, and review whether you did them and what the results were, the next steps you need to take will naturally become clear.

How much of a difference will there be in 10 years between those who reflect regularly and those who do not? 10%?

No, no, there could be a difference of two to ten times. That is how important planning is!

If the plan you made did not go as expected, it is either because your outlook (assumptions) was too optimistic, or you did not do what you needed to do. Sometimes it is both, but it is important to determine which is the bigger factor. Once you know the cause, you will know your next move.
That is why I recommend writing down a plan, even if it is just a rough draft.

What is an external partner for a solo business?

Some of you might wonder, 'Why would a solo business need an external partner?' These could be people who help with procurement or processing. In some cases, you can even consider your customers as partners.

Various people other than yourself are involved in the process of creating value for your business. Could something good happen if you change your relationships and interactions with people? If you adopt that perspective, you might come up with new ideas to increase added value.

Things that are difficult to do alone but might be possible with a little help. Investing a little to increase what you can get done. By considering the option of an external partner, the possibilities for your business will expand significantly.

Today, I thought about plans and external partners in the development of a solo business.

There are other ways to apply the new business checklist, such as considering family members who act like virtual employees even if you have no staff, or analyzing the movements of competitors.

I would be happy if you could utilize this to suit your own business!

This article was written by
Mousou Biz Planning Representative Shigeki Kawahara
https://mousoubiz.com/
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