I enjoy meeting business owners and learning what makes them tick.
I like to ask about their business planning processes. Most folks spend more time planning a party than they spend planning their business. Occasionally, an ambitious owner will share a nothing-left-to chance plan, describing what and how he intends to grow his company, month by month, almost day by day, for the next five years. No plan is planning to fail. Too much plan? You are in danger of missing a wormhole.
“A wormhole is a theoretical passage through space-time that could create shortcuts for long journeys across the universe,” according to Space.com.
That’s a big idea.
Once upon a time, my husband Hotrod and I had a plumbing-heating-solar company. My dream was to become a big company, to see if we could do it and if I had the chops to manage real growth. Hotrod had no interest in that dream. He loves to work, especially all by himself or maybe with one like-minded craftsman by his side. Imagine how dysfunctional it was for me to push my dream on him. So, we sold our company to our employees (a move that still fills me with pride) and decided to pursue separate career paths.
With a blank slate in front of me, I could create the business of my dreams. I considered that I knew something about financials and business planning, and maybe I could help other mom and pop shop owners fix and grow their businesses. I started writing for trade journals, and stitched together my articles into business basics books. I began consulting with contractors, and sharing what had worked for our business, and what I was learning from other sharp operators. I scored speaking gigs with contractor groups. I was successful and profitable; however, I wasn’t achieving my dream to get big. I just didn’t know how.
It was time to ramp up. I gathered a few business experts together and formed a board of advisers. I engaged a marketing company. We met for a strategy session and built an ambitious business plan. We moved the vision to decisive action, with monthly targets, financial goals and specific – and assigned – tasks.
Two days after the retreat, I presented a seminar to a large contractor association. Right after the event, a venture capitalist approached me and asked, “We are growing the country’s largest home service plumbing company. Would you like to be the president?”
Whoa.
“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans,” writer Allen Saunders has said.
I didn’t see that coming. I did know that I wanted the job. I called my newly formed team, one member at a time. I explained that I received an opportunity that totally aligned with my dream, and I wanted to take it. I apologized and expected to get some criticism (which I felt I deserved) and disappointment. To a one, my mentors and team members encouraged me to follow my instincts, for which I am so grateful.
The next three years were like getting a doctorate in business and franchising. We grew to 47 locations and over $40 million in franchisee sales. It was at times a brutal experience but so worth it. I’m proud of myself for saying, “Yes.” It wasn’t in my plan, and yet it was a wormhole to what I wanted.
That’s the thing about honoring what you really want. You may get what you ask for. Put your plan together. Just don’t let your plan get in the way of your dreams. Allow for a wormhole.
Ellen Rohr is an author and business consultant offering profit-building tips, trending business blogs and online workshops at EllenRohr.com. Her books include “Where Did the Money Go?” and “The Bare Bones Weekend Biz Plan.” She can be reached at ellen@ellenrohr.com.
