My friend Doreen mentioned a sign she noticed while seated in a public space. After reading it, she did a double-take. It was a fire exit by the door whose message she immediately re-framed. As a business owner, she knows how critical it is to Keep Clear At All Times.
When she shared this with me, I had to laugh. Having seen similar signs for years, I never made the entrepreneurial connection to its message. Talk about ‘when the student is ready, the sign will appear.’
Here are the checkpoints I want to stay clear about at all times. Feel free to use what you choose.
- How much income do I have today? This month? Am I on target for this year?
- How many customers/clients do I have? What’s my goal for how many to serve?
- Do I know exactly what I’m offering to each of them?
- Whom do I owe money to and how much? And when is it due?
- Who owes me money?
- When are my (estimated) taxes due?
- How and how often am I reaching out to my market?
These are the thoughts that go through my brain on a regular basis. When I know the answers to all or most of them, I find myself at peace. When more than a few are unclear, I’m less comfortable. I like the simplicity of that sign and will hold it as a mantra now.
Thank you! I agree with your list, these are questions that would keep me up at night if the answers weren’t clear. I’m not quite at this point in my business (I’m working on building my client base and it’s a bit of a patchwork at the moment) but I am keeping this list by my desk. Thanks Jane!
@Sue
Having a list is a grand beginning. You’re way ahead of most. Thanks for your comment.
Well once again, Jane is spot on. Thank you dear. I have not been answering (or asking) these quetions and it shows in my feelings of complete disorder and at the whim of others.