If you're still in the "dreaming" stages, it would be worth your while to sit down with a guide like Kick Start Your Dream Business by Romanus Wolter (Ten Speed Press, 2001). While the tone is occasionally a little to (pardon the pun) dreamy for me, the overall effect of this guide is that of taking an idea or dream and using goal-setting and planning exercises to create the basics of the business. From there, you're encouraged and motivated to keep it going (keep the dream alive, y'all).
At first glance this book can appear fluffy, so dig deeper. The table of contents actually has date lines beside each title's chapter so you can track your progress and mark off each accomplishment. You're taken step-by-step through processes from "Grounding Your Idea" and "Gathering Useful Information" to protecting your idea through non-disclosure agreements and copyright/trademark information and marketing methods. As you work further through Kick Start Your Dream Business you'll delve into financial issues, such as making your business legal, record keeping, and convincing investors to fund your operation.
One of the things that drew me to this book is the layout. The use of ink color, paper color and fonts all add up to a calm, almost serene visual rather than a frenetic call to action that will get you hyped up and stressed out about your business. The margins include notes, suggestions, goals, and expected outcomes, so it's easy to see where you are going at a glance. Client anecdotes are set in easy-to-spot shaded boxes so you if you need inspiration you can flip through quickly for success stories and quick tips that have worked for others. The chapters themselves offer an interesting style: each begins with an introduction and then continues as a "to do" list. Step by step you'll work your way through the concepts the author presents, which is real handy for those of us who are very linear as opposed to open-thinking, creative types that can pull concepts out of thin air and make them work!
Even if you're already in business, this text might come in handy as you try to streamline or re-focus on areas that you feel need improvement. Take a look next time you're at the bookstore or library; if you find this guide helpful, let me know!
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