They say if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It’s true to a certain extent. We all need a little direction but I encounter many peers who get stuck in the planning stages of a new business venture. I know what it’s like, I was one of them. The old me would spend months working on business plans that never saw the light of day. I constantly second guessed my product offering and wondered if my idea would really take off. In hindsight, I was just scared to execute them in fear that it wouldn’t work out.

When Pretty Pickles launched, I had a very basic plan. I was more fascinated by the world of e-commerce and wanted a platform to learn from. The self education was truly rewarding. I quickly learned what worked and what didn’t, revising my plan accordingly to increase sales. I embraced agile planning.

What I’ve come to realise is that plans are never concrete. You can spend all your time planning but you will always find that plans change. GFC, natural disasters, a dramatic spike in competitors – these are situations beyond your control. The outtake from this? The perfect plan does not exist. They constantly change and it’s up to you to react and make the most out of it. With this said, don’t let your planning hold you back. Set up a basic plan, execute, evaluate and refine your plans along the way. Just do it and do it today.

Have you come across any stumbling blocks in your business or career planning?

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