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<v Speaker 1>Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of

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<v Speaker 1>performance through strong human relations, team building, and golajving. This

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<v Speaker 1>is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul

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<v Speaker 1>fella Aledo.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>It's episode four eighteen. Today we're talking about something every entrepreneur,

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<v Speaker 2>side hustler and startup founder will eventually face, writing a

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<v Speaker 2>business plan. Now, before you tune out thinking I don't

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<v Speaker 2>need a thirty page plan to get started, let me

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<v Speaker 2>stop you. I'm not talking about some corporate bound document

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<v Speaker 2>filled with fifty pages of crap. I'm talking about a

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<v Speaker 2>real plan, one that's sharp, tactical, and written so that anyone,

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<v Speaker 2>even if it's just you and a dream, can take

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<v Speaker 2>action on. Here's the truth. Most people skip this step

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<v Speaker 2>because it feels intimidating. But let me put it this way.

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<v Speaker 2>If your idea is worth doing, it's worth planning. The

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<v Speaker 2>business plan isn't a hoop to jump through. It's your

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<v Speaker 2>game plan for survival and your blueprint for growth. So

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<v Speaker 2>let's get into it. I'm going to break this into

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<v Speaker 2>seven quick sections, each one critical and easy to understand.

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<v Speaker 2>Grab a notebook or pause, and come back later if

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<v Speaker 2>you're in the middle of something, but don't skip this step.

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<v Speaker 2>Part one is the problem. Start with this What problem

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<v Speaker 2>are you solving? Be honest, be specific. Great businesses solve

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<v Speaker 2>real pain points. The example I'd give is scheduling for

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<v Speaker 2>home healthcare workers is inefficient and wastes twenty percent of

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<v Speaker 2>their time. That's a real problem. If your business doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>solve it, it's then just a hobby. Part two the So,

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<v Speaker 2>this is your product or service. What are you offering

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<v Speaker 2>and how does it solve the problem better, faster or cheaper?

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<v Speaker 2>And don't get cute here. Don't write we are redefining

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<v Speaker 2>the digital experience right Our app cuts scheduling time in

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<v Speaker 2>half with AI driven smart calendars. Get clear on what

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<v Speaker 2>you're offering, because if you're not clear, your customers won't

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<v Speaker 2>be either. Part three target market. Who are you selling to?

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<v Speaker 2>And don't say everyone. Your product might help everyone, but

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<v Speaker 2>your first customers won't be. Define your beachhead market. Are

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<v Speaker 2>they college students, busy parents, small business owners with less

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<v Speaker 2>than ten employees. Nail it down. Your marketing, pricing, and

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<v Speaker 2>messaging all depend on this section. Part four is your

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<v Speaker 2>competitive edge. What makes your idea different? Or better. This

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<v Speaker 2>is where you explain why you're not just another coffee shop,

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<v Speaker 2>another podcast, or another T shirt brand. Maybe it's your price,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe it's your brand voice, Maybe it's your delivery speed,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe it's your background. The point is you need an

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<v Speaker 2>edge and you need to put it on paper. Number

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<v Speaker 2>five is revenue model. How are you going to make money?

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<v Speaker 2>Be simple and specific if it's subscription, a one time

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<v Speaker 2>product sale, a licensing fee. Will you sell directly to

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<v Speaker 2>customers or through partners? And don't forget to answer this,

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<v Speaker 2>what will you charge and why? If you're scared to

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<v Speaker 2>talk about money, you're not ready to be in business.

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<v Speaker 2>Part six is marketing and sales strategy. How will people

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<v Speaker 2>hear about you and what will make them buy? List

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<v Speaker 2>your plan? Will you use social media ads, partner with influencers,

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<v Speaker 2>attend local events, cold email, SEO or word of mouth?

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<v Speaker 2>Also include your sales funnel. What happens from the first

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<v Speaker 2>click to the final sale. Don't just wing this. You

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<v Speaker 2>don't get customers by accident. And Part seven is financial

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<v Speaker 2>forecast and milestones. You don't need a CPA to do

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<v Speaker 2>this part just be realistic. What will it cost to start?

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<v Speaker 2>What are your monthly expenses, what's your break even point,

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<v Speaker 2>how much do you need to make in year one?

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<v Speaker 2>And what are your key milestones for the next twelve months?

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<v Speaker 2>And here's the leadership mindset. A business plan is not

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<v Speaker 2>about predicting the future. It's about showing you have a

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<v Speaker 2>plan if things go wrong, and that you know what

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<v Speaker 2>success looks like when it finally shows up. So keep

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<v Speaker 2>it simple. One page is better than nothing, A few

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<v Speaker 2>pages is fine. A fifteen page investor ready document comes

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<v Speaker 2>later if needed right now, just start use bullet points,

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<v Speaker 2>use sticky notes, use voice memos. I don't care how

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<v Speaker 2>it gets done. Just get it out of your head

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<v Speaker 2>head and into a plan. So, if you're serious about

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<v Speaker 2>building something that lasts, this is the seven minute mindset shift.

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<v Speaker 2>You can either hope your idea works or you can

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<v Speaker 2>plan for it to succeed. Writing a business plan is

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<v Speaker 2>not about checking a box. It's about stepping into leadership

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<v Speaker 2>and owning your idea like it's already real. And that's

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<v Speaker 2>how you go from dreamer to doer. This has been

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<v Speaker 2>the seven minute Leadership podcast, and I thank you for listening.

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<v Speaker 1>For more, Paul fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot

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<v Speaker 1>com