Building a Business Plan
When setting up any new organisation or beginning a new interest, it is vital that you prepare thoroughly. Researching an area you are already keen on should prove stimulating - if you are finding it tiresome and tedious then warning lights should be flashing.
DigiPromise did not really lend itself to the creation of a traditional business plan, as I was not developing it for monetary gain, but was instead looking to help people. I did not need a bank loan to set the website up as I was takin the website development costs from my salary. But I knew that a business plan helps to focus the mind on what goals you are trying to achieve.
An initial scouring of the internet turned up many good ideas about business plans but little in the way of constructive, comprehensive advice. I spoke to friends who had experience of working for start ups or who had set up their own companies, but their advice was more relevant for those hoping to make profit. So instead I turned to books.
Even in this technologically advanced age, the old fashioned guide made from pulped trees and ink has its place of prominence. After a considered (i.e. lengthy) trawl through the business section of Waterstones, I bought the Financial Times Guide to Business Start Up and Starting an Online Business (For Dummies), two very standard textbooks but both excellent in the advice provided. Neither book was directly applicable to the creation of a not-for-profit website but the books were full of veritable gold dust, from tips on contract negotiations to advice on taxation, from pointers towards Government grants to sensible wisdom on book-keeping.
The main advantage gained from hours pouring over the books was an understanding that to turn an idea into reality was a time-consuming and laborious process, one that would only reach its conclusion through concentrated and long-term effort. There are no quick fixes in business, a point it makes well to heed in advance but is all too often learned on the job!
