| p>What do you want your lifewriting business to | | | | ourselves with this very lifewriting business. |
| accomplish in the next 12 months? Take some time | | | | Many people work assiduously, never quite getting on |
| right now and plan things out. | | | | top of things no matter how hard they try. Others |
| You don't have time, you say. Planning is an | | | | seem to succeed more easily. While the reason can |
| indulgence? Think of this parable: | | | | sometimes be outside of ourselves, it is frequently |
| A person is sawing a tree and is obviously harried. A | | | | inside. The difference may be that some people plan |
| second person approaches and asks, "How long have | | | | their work and organize their work life in a way that |
| you been sawing?" | | | | maximizes their success. |
| "Oh, all day and I'm exhausted. Look at how much I | | | | OK. Let's start planning. The first thing to do is to |
| have left to do!" | | | | establish the income you want/feel you need to earn |
| The second person suggests, "Your saw is dull. You | | | | yearly from your business. Your work, if it is to be |
| need to sharpen it." | | | | financially rewarding, should be driven by your realistic |
| The first retorts wearily, "That might be a good idea | | | | income goal. |
| for some other people, but I just don't have the time to | | | | Let's say, for the sake of this discussion, that you want |
| do that. Don't you see how much tree I have left to | | | | to derive $50,000 from your effort. Don't start by filling |
| cut! Get real." | | | | your schedule with as many workshops and |
| Take the time to sharpen the "saw" of your business | | | | tele-classes as you can get and hope that they will |
| life. Make a business plan. | | | | add up to $50,000. Instead, translate $50,000 into the |
| Making (or revising) a business plan need not be | | | | number, the length, and the frequency of workshops |
| arduous. In fact, it can be rather simple and very | | | | you MUST present to earn your income. This will be |
| satisfying. What I am offering here is a do-able | | | | your OPERATING schedule for the next year. |
| process. I call it a business plan but I might also have | | | | Your goal is not to be busy. It's not even to help |
| called it a strategy plan. (What I am suggesting is not | | | | people, though your mission statement will certainly |
| formally a business plan but let's not quibble here. What | | | | include that. Your business goal is to be financially |
| follows is eminently useful. For more information on | | | | rewarded as you do meaningful work. |
| formal business plans, visit your local library or | | | | Here is an example of what you might calculate if your |
| bookstore.) | | | | product were a workshop: |
| You need to start with a mission statement. A mission | | | | 1) Say the workshops last 15 hours (five sessions of |
| statement is a paragraph about what you want to | | | | three hours each). |
| accomplish. Mission statements do not include income | | | | 2) If you attract 12 participants for each workshop (a |
| considerations. Rather, they contain the reasons you | | | | reasonable, "do-able" number) and they each pay |
| are drawn emotionally to this sort of work as opposed | | | | $540 per series (15 hours x $12/hour), you will earn |
| to others. (Why you do the particular work you have | | | | $6,480 per workshop series. (Will you be offering |
| chosen rather than some other work.) | | | | tuition rebates? If so, estimate how much that may |
| The goal of a mission statement is to be lofty, to say | | | | come up to and subtract that figure from the $6,480. |
| what you want to do--as if money were no object. | | | | Offer rebates only as a way to fill your classes at the |
| A mission statement answers the question: Why am I | | | | last minute!) |
| in this business and what do I hope to achieve | | | | 3) To earn the theoretical $50,000 per year, you will |
| spiritually and ethically? | | | | have to deliver 7.7 workshops--ok, let's go with 8!. |
| A mission statement will enlighten your activities all | | | | In practical terms, this comes out to 4 workshops in |
| year long; checking your activities and choices against | | | | the September-December trimester, 4 in the |
| it regularly will ensure that you stay on the track of | | | | January-April trimester, and none in the May-August |
| what is good for your soul. You will use it to assess | | | | trimester or 3 workshops in the September-December |
| the rest of your plan. Mission statements can come | | | | trimester, 3 in the January-April trimester, and 2 in the |
| easily to lifewriting workshop leaders. We love ideas | | | | May-August trimester--or you make your own mix. |
| and we love being of service. The exercise that | | | | Very do-able! I have left out our income and social |
| follows is less in line with our inclinations, but I've found it | | | | security tax liability. To figure these out, you can go on |
| to be the backbone of success. | | | | the web and get current percentages charged and |
| While we are in this particular business for reasons | | | | add the taxable amounts to the income you wish to |
| that have to do with nurturing our souls, we must | | | | bring home. |
| never forget that we are also trying to support | | | | |