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Business Philosophy: The Rudder that Steers This Ship / Book

A few of my beliefs about the way to build a profitable business made their way into this book, and it wasonly after writing that I realized they hadn't been addressed. Thus, the introduction is written last and youcan keep an eye out for these principles as they guide your business plan to completion.

Small business loans are forSUCCEEDINGbusinesses, notNEW businesses.

If you are new to business, you need to try it on for size. There's a big difference between loving the ideaof business and actually loving being in business. A difference that could cost you thousands of dollars,years of your life, and all those handfuls of hair that get pulled out when you're stressed to the max.

Putting yourself in financial debt to start a business is setting yourself up on the hardest road youcan possibly take to owning and running a successful business.

Of course, it can be done. Many people have done it. But, I think it is a dangerous path to take.

What happens when you want to downsize and spend more time with your family because you are in overyour head? Or what happens if you decide that you hate business? Or what if the economy collapses(again)? Umm...you can't. I could play the what-if game all day long, but I'm sure you get the point.

You're stuck because you are committed to paying someone back for something that you said you weregoing to do. And since selling kidneys still isn't legal, you can stop eyeing your spouse like that. No one-kidney-is-just-fine-so-I-can-pay-off-my-business-loan mentality will do around here, thanks!

Worse yet, setting yourself up in debt to start your business off is multiplying your chances ofhating this thing that you thought you would really love.

You're more likely to feel trapped, and that compounds the usual learning curve that new business ownershave anyway. Even if you keep at it, your clients are going to know that you don't love it anymore. And if

you don't love what you do, how are you going to love them and what they are paying you to do for them?Oh yah you won't.

The good news? There are plenty of ways for resourceful people to go into business without goinginto debt.

The first rule of thumb: start small.

Buy what you need with funds you already have. It may mean not getting the best of the best to startwith. It may mean owning only 2 lenses that aren't L glass, as opposed to 4 L lenses. It may mean onlyattending one workshop a year instead of monthly. It may mean owning a PC instead of a MAC. It maymean not buying actions and learning Photoshop on your own.

There are tons of ways that you can start small and on the common sense path to a happily successfuland profitable business. Just because you start your business small doesn't mean that you are going tostay that way forever you're smart enough to budget for the good stuff, and acquire it debt-free!

I started my business with used equipment and low-end gear. Not one of my clients mentioned to me thatthey expected better. I rocked my equipment. When I was bringing in more money, I picked up a shinynew 5D with the excess money I had in my business savings account.

Guess what, though? Not one client noticed that I upgraded and it didn't make me any more money


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than my old gear. (But it sure did make me happier and I knew it was the right time.)

My other nagging belief: legal business forms aren't nearlyas introspective as they should be.Not one of the business plans I've come across takes the personal life of the business owner into account.Not one and I don't want to encourage you to put your business before your personal life.

The heart of every other business plan is business. Not planning for daily time with your family. Or coffeeoutings with friends. Not jam making. Or blog reading. Or takingpictures just for the heck of it because it makes you happy.

I want you to think about the things that are the most importantin your life and then mold your business around those things.

You may one day regret that you didn't make more time for life, but Idoubt you'll ever look back and think, "I wish I would have thrownmyself deeper into business.While you are planning your business details, I want you to

constantly keep life in mind. I want you to make the decisions thatare right for YOUR business, as it fits into YOUR life. That's the goalhere, and that's the only way I know to get to The Happy Place.

XOXO,Alicia


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Oh, hello! HERE WE ARE. AT THE BEGINNING.

Maybe it's the beginning of your journey into business, or the beginning of a new direction - but it!s abeginning for sure. I am thrilled beyond words that you have chosen me to help you on this journey.

Being at the beginning here withyou is taking me back to the day that Iwas at the beginning. I had recently

been exposed to the world of digital photography and six months into it the thought occurred to me:I couldtotally do this. I could TOTALLY start a photography business!

Though I cringe at telling you, here's how my business plan creation went:

I needed income, stat. If I did 10 sessions a week to bring in an average of $100 sale per person, I!d bringin about $1000 a week. That would easily replace the income we were living on and about to give up asmy husband left the military to go back to school.

I wrote it down. 10 sessions a week would be totally do-able. Heck, there are studios out there that do10 sessions a day! 2 would be so easy. After banging out my 2-sessions-per-day plan, I entered the land ofthe Maybes. Maybe I!ll expand into having a studio space of my own and adding on an employee. MaybeI!ll take on a wedding per weekend in the summer. Heck, that would bring in an additional $2000 a month if

I!m charging $500 per wedding. I!d be able to take that wedding income and put it in savings to puttowards upgrading my equipment and marketing.Brilliant.

I thought of the plan and wrote it down. Easy-friggin-peasy.And then...I tried putting the plan into action.

I quickly realized that 10 sessions a week was impossible for me to do. Heck, five sessions a week wasimpossible. I forgot to factor in time to edit! Oh, and attracting five people per week was a greaterchallenge than I realized. So, new plan!

I upped my pricing to hit a $250 sales average and brainstormed all the ways I could think of to get people

in the door. More planning, more writing.

And uh...more plan in action. Crap.

Five sessions a week is impossible for a pregnant mother of 3-at-the-time with a husband who is taking 19credits in school. This predicament came complete withzerospare cash to hire a baby-sitter.

Ugh. Plan tweaking...more plan in action. That's how my first year of business went down, until byprocess of elimination I ended up with a low-volume, high-end portrait business model.

Once I got a better handle on what I wanted to do, what I needed to earn, and how I couldrealisticallymake it all happen, I started researching ways to grow my business.

One pesky item that kept popping up in my research: To be successful, you need to have an OfficialBusiness Plan.


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Oy vey. No wonder I was having problems! My few sheets of paper weren't OFFICIAL enough!

I researched writing an Extremely-Official Business Plan. Google, books, forums, and other forms ofresearch left me bewildered and overwhelmed.

Either you have to log twenty hours completing a multi-DVD course on writing a business planorat theother extreme use assorted artistic mediums to create a hand-painted business plan worthy of framing

next to your desk. (Without any numbers, of course.)

I was either overwhelmed by business jargon and new terms, or left feeling like a flower childsummoning the powers of the universe to make my success manifest itself. (Any of this ringing abell?)

Not only was I struggling to find outhowto write an Official Business Plan -- I was having a hard timefiguring out whyI should even bother writing one.

I gave up on the Official-Business-Plan-making for a few months.

I made it this far without one, why start now? (You!ve said that, haven!t you!? I!m not a mindreader, but thanks for asking.)

Please tell me I!m not alone in my abandonment of the Official Business Plan! Please tell me that you havean incredibly long mental checklist of reasons to avoid writing a business plan.

Mine went something like this:

I think business plans are stupid.I can't write.I'm too creative to create a right-brained, formal document.I'm afraid of doing it wrong.I'm afraid someone will criticize my plan.I'm afraid of putting any of my dreams into writing.I stillthink business plans are stupid.

I don't need one, everything's fine.I don't know where to begin.I wish someone would tell me what to do without overwhelming me.I don't know where to begin, for real. Not a clue.


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Welcome to the North Pole!

This is the place where you're comfortable, but it's a blizzard out there. You can't see your hand in front ofyour face, let alone navigate between here and the nearest Starbucks. And finding your way to a profitablebusiness? Not a chance.

Here in the North Pole, we've given up on the Official Business Plan requiring six business books, a lawyeror two, a business loan, and a host of DVDs. We'll be making your perfect business plan.It may end up looking like a journal, but it's a plan nonetheless. It's a way to figure out where your HappyPlace is located, and then to get there.

When you're finished, you'll have a visual of the entire journey. You'll be able to see your flaws in thinkingAND your moments of brilliance. (Both will come in handy a year from now.)

You have full permission for your handwriting to be poor and messy. You can get grease on the pageswhen you're jotting and trying to make pancakes for the kids at the same time. (Yes, some of my breakfastsare greasy. Don't judge.)

I!ll keep all your wild, crazy dreams and shoot-for-the-stars goals between you and me. I won't tease you

for silly ideas or tell you that you!re setting yourself up for failure. I don

!t know what you are capable ofaccomplishing. And frankly, neither doyou. So don!t limit the ideas because you don!t think it!s possible.

The North Pole is full of doubts and is quite isolated, I've found. To get outta here, we're gonna have topack up our fears and stick 'em into a bag of reindeer feed. Maybe Santa can use 'em, but us non-imaginary creatures are leaving fears behind.

Without fears, we're free to begin our journey to The Happy Place. Where will you find someone to trustway up here in the middle of nowhere?

::waves hello::

Let's take some deep breaths and pack up for our journey. You're going to need a dose of trust, a pen, a

calculator, and a printed copy of this book. If you're into frou-frou journals, grab one and throw it in yourbackpack! If not, printer paper will do just fine.

What's that? Our little outfit doesn't seem officialenough? Meet Official the Elf.

He makes everything legit. If you're getting yourthoughts together to apply for a small business loan orto enter into a legal partnership with someone, Officialthe Elf will come with a pocket protector and take noteson a clipboard. Otherwise, he's wearing a cute littleoutfit and always smells like hot chocolate. (I know he'sa bit funny looking, but he's the only little guy brave

enough to come along with us.)

Hop on the sleigh and let's head out!


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Spotted: A Not-So-Magical Creature

OOF, that didn't take long! As we were leaving the North Pole, Official spotted a Cotton-HeadedNinnymuggins.

This cute, sweet specimen is great at chatting online and hoarding Photoshop actions, but isn't so great atmaking business decisions.

Truth be told, the Ninnymuggins pretends running a photography business has nothing to do withbusiness.

Note the way this creature spends at least 3 times what theymake on their business year after year. $1,000 in, $3,000 out math is for losers! And profits are for squares!

We have a rare chance to spot the Ninnymuggins in its naturalenvironment. Note that this particular creature is rocking a goodcamera and Photoshop, assuming the business side of things willmagically appear. The Ninnymuggins assumes his or her bank

account will fill with no effort. Organization and customerservice? Pishaw! The shining light of the 5DMarkII will blindthem to the ninnymuggins' flaws!

Alas, the Ninnymuggins is also addicted to comparing itself toothers. Blogs, forums, magazines, and photog shootouts areabsolutely CRUCIAL to keeping the Ninnymuggins alive. As aresult of constant comparing of itself to other magical beings, thiscreature whines much more than other species. It says I can't!at least seven times a day. The Ninnymuggins' art never quitemeasures up to the work of others...

Frustrated, this poor creature resorts to theworstform of

business Ninnymugginsing:straight-up copying. TheNinnymuggins will copy and paste text from others' websites,mimic others' photography, and swipe the competition's latest promo for its own instead of creating its ownvision of business.

EESH! What a creature! I'm so glad that...

YOU ARE A NOT A COTTON-HEADED NINNYMUGGINS.

(But you might act like one sometimes.) We're going to find and break the Ninnymuggins habits that wreakhavoc on your business in Chapter Two!


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Ninnymuggins Thinking - TERRIBLE, NO GOOD BELIEFS

It's easy to trick a Ninnymuggins into believing these principles. When they wreak havoc on business,Ninnymuggins don't realize it's these same principles that are hurting them.

Let's take a look at your thinking and see if you've been talking to a Ninnymuggins lately. If so, let's turn

that thinking around!

#1: Business is easy. Photography is the hard part!!

You have a camera and Photoshop and everyone tells you that you're good at taking pictures. So, you'reready for business, right? Get a $99 website and some of those VistaPrint business cards voila!

It's not that simple, unfortunately, and business is quite serious. It's a not a game that you can quitplaying after you get tired of it as you'll have too many expenses to hop on out in 3 months. You have todo all your own coaching, all your own marketing, your own training, and your own customer service.

You have no buck to pass if a customer is dissatisfied. You. Are. Everything.

That's why Official and I built education into our business expenses later in the book since you'reeverything, you'll have to be acquiring new skills constantly. And those skills will come from the wisdomof others.

Make sure you are spending as much energy on the business as you are spending on the lovely creativeside of things because without the business side, you have a really expensive hobby.

Use the rest of this page to make a list of the workshops you'd like to attend, the seminars you'dlike to visit, and the books you'd like to read about running your business. (Not just buy read!)

Each and every item on the list should focus on BUSINESS. List the price of buying/attending, too itmakes budgeting for education easier later in the book!


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#2: I have to have the best of the best equipment to be inbusiness.

Owning a 5DMarkII does not market any more for you than a Canon Rebel. Yes, it will take betterpictures but if you don't have any clients, it really doesn't matter.

I started out with a Canon 20D that I bought used off of eBay and a $99 50mm f/1.8 lens. The laptop Iedited on (which I scored for $75 on eBay) took 2 hours to batch process the free-sample Photoshopactions I gathered. Let's be clear, though:

I sold multi-thousand dollar portrait collections with this gear, and the results were stellar.

That so-so equipment forced me to get better at photography much faster than I had planned. I learnedto absolutely NAIL my exposures and to do minimal post-processing to get my desired results becauseanything else took the laptop too long to produce.

If you've fallen into the equipment trap, I suggest limiting your equipment budget significantly this year.Yes, there will always be a friend who shows up with the latest lenses and who updates camera bodiesyearly but our goal is to have the most profitable business possible.

If last year's camera body produces the results you need then last year's camera body is what youshould be rocking.

I hear from Served Up Fresh peeps all the time that they don't have $75 to take a marketing course butthey have a host of L lenses sitting in their camera bag. If it comes down to taking a marketing course toget new clients or upgrading your gear (to impress nonexistent clients) take the marketing course.

For a real eye opener, go through last year's business expenses and look at every piece of gear youpurchased. Every new lens, every Radio Popper, every flash, every battery, every camera card, laptopaccessory, etc...

While some of those items are crucial to being in business, I'll wager that many of them are toys. Funaccessories that you play with a few times and then go back to shooting without them.Make it a goal to limit spending on gear to what is strictly necessary, as it's an important step onthe road to a profitable business.

#3: Forums are crucial to your business success.

Almost every one of the people on any given forum are in the same boat you are, lovely. Some are a fewmonths behind you, some a few months ahead of you but the people with the best advice to offer arethe ones that literally have NO time for forums. The best mentors don't come cheap, as they know howvaluable their information is and they refuse to lessen its value by giving it away to those who won't

respect it.

Forums are great for building a sense of 'we're all in this together!' but all advice should be taken with agrain of salt. Also, watch the amount of time you spend on forums you can easily lose an afternoon (orthirty) that would have been better spent reading a business book or attending a business class.

I see you there, head hung in shame don't worry, we've all been caught thinking like a Ninnymuggins!From this day forward, work on limiting forum time to 15 minutes or less per day. Use your 'found' time towork on your business, instead of chitter-chattering on your favorite forum.


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#4: I have to be the photographer for everyone.

As lovely as it would be to be the town photographer, it just isn't realistic. Unless you plan on rocking 10pricing structures (from Wal-Mart basic to Louis Vuitton ultra-exclusive) and switching photographic stylesby the minute (posed to unposed to black & white to color pop to grungy modern to painterly to unedited,shoot and burn style) you CAN'T be the photographer for everyone.

So, if someone doesn't hire you it doesn't mean they don't like you. It doesn't mean your prices are toohigh or too low. It doesn't mean they want to kick you in the shins when they see you, or they picked yourfriend Tracy because you need to lose 10 pounds.

If someone doesn't hire you, it just means you're not the photographer for them.

It's nothing personal. Client X has a specific need, and no amount of convincing is going to fill that need they chose Tracy. That's alright make your business about finding and keeping the perfect clients forYOU.

#5: Clients will only hire me if my prices are appealing.

And by appealing, I mean cheaper than everyone else.It's true that a large portion of the population is looking for a deal, searching for ways to make their dollarstretch farther and farther. Even if those dollar stretchers make up half the people on earth that leaves50% of the population that is willing to pay for quality instead of finding a deal. Your quality of work, levelof customer service, and overall client experience help clients to justify paying for your services.

When creating your pricing, avoid thinking 'would someone pay this' as a measure of whether it willbe an effective price point. Where would Steve Jobs be if he ran Apple that way?

Instead, base pricing on three questions: does this cover all my costs, give me a profit AND make it worthmy time? (Making ten cents on a portrait order is considered a profit, in the simplest terms but it

certainly isn't worth your time to work for ten cents per client.)

To create an effective pricing guide that kicks serious tushie in answering all three of those questions, Irecommend purchasing Easy as Pie. It will help you to create cohesive, profitable portrait collections. Itwill also help you to shift your pricing strategies the WHY of pricing is crucial, not just the HOW!
http://www.served-up-fresh.com/http://www.served-up-fresh.com/http://www.served-up-fresh.com/


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Whew! We've left that Ninnymuggins behind forever!

Now that we're past the Ninnymuggins and that awful thinking -- we're going to focus on your perfectday. Official is driving the sleigh, and we'll be stopping forhot chocolate and cookies soon.

Official, what would your perfect day be like?

OOOH, Alicia! First, I would bake some cookies and playCheckers with my best Elven buddies all cozy by the fire.THEN, we would ride gum drops down the Chocolate Riverand go swimming in the Marshmallow Waterfall. THEN, wewould EAT the waterfall! THEN, we would make toys.Because I LOVE making toys! THEN, we would swing fromthe vines at Licorice Canyon. And THEN we would takeour morning nap. And THEN...

Okay, Official! Thanks look out for that snowbank eyeson the road!

Your perfect day probably looks nothing like Official's but Ihope you think of it with just as much enthusiasm. My perfect day is constantly changing. Last year, myperfect day went something like this...

I wake up 15 pounds lighter, check my e-mail and see that several clients placed orders early. (They eachbought my biggest collection.) After a long shower, I head out to breakfast with some girl friends andspend the morning gabbing away. I savor some alone time with a bookstore and 2 mugs of chai (yes, two!Oh, the indulgence!) before doing some clothes shopping. Everything fits, and it's all on sale! I comehome to take my kiddos out for a hike and a picnic. After that, hubby and I leave the kiddos with ababysitter so we can enjoy an evening out together.

Looking at this day it's pretty simple. No outrageous time travel, or anything...just savoring my family,

my friends, some alone time, and books. Maybe these things won't happen on the same day but they'reall attainable. So... why wasn't I taking time to do these activities? What was holding me back fromexercising so I could lose the babyweight? What was stopping me from calling my girlfriends and settingup a day to have breakfast together? Why was it so hard for me to carve out just 2 hours a month for

sipping chai in a bookstore? Why wasn't I spending as much time with my kids as I wanted?

After thinking long and hard, I realized that my business was standing in the way of my perfect day. Thethings that I had to accomplish with it were pushing me away from my perfect day. That's wacky, isn't it?

We have a business with the hopes that it will help us achieve the things we value most in life andyet it can push us away from our perfect day if we let it.

That's why I want you to think of your perfect day. I want you to find ways to align your business and

personal goals, constantly thinking: does my business push me toward the things I value in life, or does itpush me away from those things?

Once you can identify where your business is pushing you toward and where it's pulling you fromyour perfect day, you can keep your business from stripping you of the time and energy you need toaccomplish the things that bring you the most joy.


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Your Perfect Day Awaits.

We've stopped for the night, and Official has the cabin all warm and cozy. There are fuzzy slippers waitingby the fire, which is juuuuust right for roasting marshmallows. I've put the kettle on for tea, so let's chatwhile it heats up.

Think of your lifeas a whole beyond

photography and your business. I know you love photography, and you might even love business but Iwant you to think about the things in your life beyond work.

What makes you wake up in the morning? What do you work for? What brings you great joy joy beyondreason?

I used to say that the thing I was most passionate about was photography. Then, I experienced seriousburnout and all I wanted to do was bake cookies. After time away from my camera, I discovered that Iwas far more passionate about creating things in general. Sweaters for my kids, games, cookies, dinners,rehabbed furniture, even exotic tea combinations...I love to use my camera to capture what I've created.

Maybe it's the same for you, and maybe not. Maybe you love capturing fantastic images and maybeyou love playing with Photoshop even more! Maybe you love working with clients, maybe you lovesharing all your goodies on Flickr. No matter what you love, being tuned in to what makes you tick helpsyou build a better business.

Cuddle up, dream, and record your answers on the following pages...


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What does your perfect day look like? What activities do you do? Who is invited to spend bits ofthe day with you?

What does your perfect day FEEL like?

Is your perfect day possible? Meaning, is it capable of happening?

Soooo....what's stopping you from making your perfect day happen?

No, seriously...what's stopping you?


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So long as you're all warm and fuzzy...

Let's answer some tougher questions about your business. Be honest, as no one will see your answers. Ipinkie promise to avoid peeking at them!

How does your business factor into your perfect day?

Do you complete any business activities during your perfect day?

Do you pick up your camera during your perfect day? Why or why not?

Does your business as it is now, without changes push or pull you toward your perfect day?

What changes in your business could help push you toward your perfect day? Better timemanagement, stronger client boundaries, a more defined schedule, additional income, better businessskills, etc... are all great answers! Knowing what needs to change is a great place to start making changehappen.


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The Land of Tough Questions

Morning, sunshine! Looks like you passed out by the fire last night. Let's get a move on, Official's got thesleigh up and running!

Now that you know what, precisely, your perfect day looks like and how your business contributes tothat day you're in a better position to guide this sleigh right through the Land of Tough Questions.Facing your fears and weaknesses gets a load off your chest. Once we know which fears we're battling,it's a whole lot easier to create a plan for dealing with them.

I'll go first, so you know you're not alone. (And because Official says he'll share his tea with me if I sharewith you.)

What scares you the most in business?

For the longest time, the answer was failure. I was afraid that I wasn't going to get enough clients to getthe income that my family needed. Without income, we'd lose our house. Without a house, we'd lose ourchildren. And if we lost our children I'd probably commit suicide.

So, no clients somehow equaled me offing myself dramatically. NICE.

I started a habit of writing my fears down, journal style. I wrote down WHY it scared me so I could dealwith the heart of the matter in a rational way. Every single thing that I've been most afraid of in businesshas never come to pass. And if I would have let those fears grip me and take control of my businessdecision-making process, I would have missed out on a seriously incredible journey. AND on being in thissleigh with you!

What does success look like?

Early on, I was asked to dream big and define success on my terms. Shoot for the moon, get crazy! Idefined success as shooting 3 sessions per week consistently, bringing in an average sale of $1,000 andhaving my own studio.

In less than a year, I had achieved those things. But, without consciously thinking about it, I had changedmy definition of success. I didn't FEEL successful when I reached that goal, so I made my target shooting4 sessions per week, bringing in an average sale of $3,000 and having an assistant for my studio.

Instead of celebrating each time I had a sale that exceeded my previous definition of success, I agonizedthat it was 'only' $1,500. What did I do wrong? Why didn't my client buy my biggest collection? I'm'only' doing 3 sessions per week why can't I bring in more clients?

As my business grew, I kept raising the bar on what success looked like. If I didn't meet the currentdefinition of success, I felt like a total failure.

It's a good thing to raise the bar and challenge yourself just don't forget to celebrate your

achievements!

That's why I firmly believe in writing all these things down. You'll be amazed at how far you've gone in ayear!

What do you enjoy shooting most?

I can't shoot animals or scenery with any enthusiasm. I don't enjoy weddings unless I get the perfectclient. I only enjoy shooting happy, fun-loving, laidback families and kids. Babies, toddlers, youngins,tweens you name it, I love it!


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Go on, say it. I hate shooting ______________. (FREDERICO. At the point when the book goes all MadLibs on you, your answer to this question is named Frederico.)

And then eliminate it from your business! Just because you canshoot something doesn't mean youshould.

Don't be afraid to take that one thing that makes your heart sing and own it!

Go on, say I take pictures of toes. That's it. That makes me happy. I can bring you to tears with mygorgeous toe pictures, so I'm a toeographer.

Shooting only what you're passionate about keeps you excited about your business, your photography,and your clients.


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YOUR TURN! Yah, that's a lot of white space ahead of you. One-word answers are no good for yourbusiness plans! You're on a roll, so keep going...Official and I are saving number-crunching until the end,so this is more about life goals, what you value, and how you can tweak non-financial things to...makefinancial goodness happen.

What scares you the most in business?

What does success look like? Give details. Give exclusive-to-you examples, like owning a white silkcouch or taking six weeks of vacation per year or working less than X hours per week.

What do you enjoy shooting most? WHY do you enjoy it so much?

Time Management and You: The O!cial Version


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Elves are great timekeepers, so I'm going to leave Official to ask you all sorts of questions about yourtime.

Why are we talking about time? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET TO THE MONEY-MAKING,ALICIA!????

Before we talk numbers and calculations or even what you can offer clients, and when we need todetermine how much time you can devote to your clients and your business.

Remember what I said about my firstbusiness plan how I was going to shoot 10sessions per week, no problem? My biggesterror was in failing to set a realistic timebudget for myself. Sure, I could SHOOT 10sessions per week but editing, marketing,bookkeeping, client communication,blogging, gallery posting and bill payingwould have to be taken care of by someoneelse.

You may realize that your time limits you toshooting 3 sessions per month, so we'll needto plan the rest of your business activitiesaccordingly. Making an honest assessmentof your time is crucial when makingcalculations later, so be painstakingly detailedand up front with yourself!


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How many hours a week CAN you devote to your business? Why?

How many hours a week would you LIKE to devote to your business? Why?

How many sessions/weddings/jobs would you like to take on per week? Why?

Great! With those two answers in mind, let's divide your time into tasks!

_____ hours per week to devote to phone calls & e-mail (give yourself 1-2 hours per desired session)

_____ hours per week to travel to and shoot one session/wedding (times desired number of jobs)

_____ hours per week to edit session/wedding images (times desired number of jobs)

_____ hours per week to hold ordering sessions or prepare galleries, deliver or package jobs, etc....(timesdesired number of jobs)

_____ hours per week to devote to administrative tasks & bookkeeping (Build these in so they don't getleft behind!)

_____ hours per week to devote to bookkeeping

_____ hours per week to devote to other. Your choice.

_____ total hours per week to devote to business (If this number is too high, recalculate with asmaller number of sessions or jobs until it fits! A realistic number is crucial!) (EVAN)

_____ total number of sessions/jobs per week

Multiply the total number of sessions/jobs you can take on per week by 4.

____ ideal weekly sessions/jobs x 4 = ________ sessions/jobs per month.


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Scoping 'Em Out: In Which We (Briefly) Size Up theCompetition

Now that you've got a time budget, let's talk competitors.

DUDE. Why aren't we talking about MY business, Alicia?

We're going to, promise! But we're going to start by taking a look at the market in your region right thissecond. Resist the urge to go all 'you don't understand, there are 3,428 photographers in my CUL DESAC, Alicia!' on me.

There's no whining in business planning. This is about sucking it up, taking a peek, and analyzingthe results to maximize your effectiveness in getting and keeping clients.

The more informed you are about what's being offered and by whom, the better you're able to bring a trulyunique perspective and set of products to the market. After you've taken a fresh eye at the competition,you'll be in a better place for positioning YOUR talents in the world. Trust me, here!


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Whose business do you secretly envy? And why? (Be super-mega-ultra specific until you figure outthe WHY. That's important.)

Who are your most prominent local competitors? What do they offer? What kind of service do theygive? What's their reputation around town?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What do you do better than these competitors?

What is your closest competitor doing wrong?

Maybe Sally Sue takes four months to deliver client galleries for proofing. Maybe she can only becontacted via e-mail, or doesn't have any weekend appointments. Maybe she refuses to travel to client's

homes, or charges travel fees for visiting your favorite location. Maybe she's booked six months in

advance. These are all opportunities for you to do stuff better! Deliver faster, list your phone number, worka weekend, travel to your favorite place for no extra charge, and offer bookings for next week. One tweakat a time to improve your business and help you stand out...

What would make a potential client choose your competitor instead of you?


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While we're at it, let's take a look at these same questions about YOUR business.

What do your closest competitors do better than you?

What kind of service do you give? What could be improved? How could you bolster yourreputation around town?

What are you doing wrong in business?

How can you improve on these weaknesses?

What would make a potential client choose you instead of your closest competitor? (If you don'tknow the answer, the following pages will help. If you DO know the answer, the following pages will onlymake your answer even more awesome.)


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Determining Your Uniquest of Unique Qualities

Great work! You've scoped out the competitionandyou've even identified how you can get a leg up onthem. By bringing different services, products, images, talents, and business practices to the table, you'reready to shine! Our next step is to put that leg up on 'em into words.

Uh, Alicia...?

Yah, Official.

You know how I like taking shortcuts?

Yep!

My shortcut through Coconut Canyon is alittle...blocked.

A little?

Well actually...completely blocked by amassive avalanche of coconut snow.

Okay then! Looks like we've got some time on ourhands! While we circle around the snow (the really, really long way), let's talk about your point ofdifferentiation.

Your what?

In the world of Business-with-a-capital-B that operates with lots of neckties and pinstripes, thereason peeps choose you and not your competitors is known as your point of differentiation.

It's what makes you TRULY unique.It can be your sales technique.Your ability to make babies laugh.Your love of disco-themed weddings.Your exclusive qualities or winning staff.Your ability to mix digital and film capture seamlessly.Your dedication to getting the shot, even when it requires traveling to the North Pole.It can be a combination of things, like your charming personality + winning photographic style.

Whatever your point of differentiation is, only YOU have it.

'I take portraits of families' is not a point of differentiation. 'I take portraits of Minnesota's most laidbackfamilies using only natural light and a bit of charm' is getting there. 'I take portraits of Minnesota's most

laidback families using only natural light and a bit of charm, then provide heirloom-quality products tomake their memories shine' is just, BOOM. 'Atta girl!


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So, let's get personal. What makes YOU different from your competitors in EXTREMELY specific ways?

Gimme ten stand-out qualities of your business, quick!

1:

2:

3:

4:

5:

6:

7:

8:

9:

10:

Now, let's take a crack at putting your point of differentiation into words by making a mash-up of thosequalities you listed on the previous page. Combine 'em, and record 'em below.

1 + 3 + 7:

2 + 4 + 9:

5 + 6 + 8 + 10:


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Are any of those feeling good/right/awesome? If not, keep mashing up until you find a great combo.Then take a crack at this question:

What's your point of differentiation? What would make a client hire you-you-you-and-only-you?(Hint: it's probably a mash-up of some kind. You've already done the work, now make it sound spiffy!)

We're going to call your point of differentiation SALLY. When you need a SALLY later, remember this. Oh,and congrats! You've put what makes YOUR business so absolutely fantastic into words no easy task!

But Alicia! What do I DO with my point of differentiation?

You'll want to use that in your web copy. Your tag line. Your postcard copy. Your e-mail promotions.Your bio. Make it as easy as possible for potential clients to see how you're different from yourcompetition right away.

Oh, and there's no such thing as overdoing your point of differentiation. Worst case scenario, your clientsknow exactly how different you are from the competition and can recite it without peeking at your website.


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OH MY STARS! IT'S THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN!

Official! Official, come back, he's going to bite your little head off...Official! Get back, he's...hugging you?Giving you high fives and asking about your

photography business whaaaat?

[Author's note: the Abominable Snowman has anEnglish accent. Think Hugh Grant meets Elton John.He agreed to a short interview just after revealing that

he is, in fact, a harmless teddy bear of a monster. Heowes his fierce reputation to brilliant marketing andeffective word-of-mouth promotions.]

Abominable, no offense but...you don't seem veryscary.

Why no, of course not I'm fearsome as a JollyRancher! Threatening as a Squirrel Nut Zipper left tomelt in the sun!

Ehhhh, right. So how did you get that scaryreputation?

I mastered marketing long ago, darling! Aftercapturing a few travelers and putting them up in myglacial spa for a few months, the townspeopleassumed they were dead. This created quite a stir, ofcourse and from there, I just had to keep upappearances.

I hired a search party of actors to come into thevicinity from afar and report my utterly terrifying qualities to the town's citizens. (They enjoyed

champagne and caviar. Had a splendid time, really.)

Then I hired a crew to post hundreds of missing persons signs about the village. This kept the buzz aboutthe disappearance and of course, my general fiendishness quite active. That worked for a fewdecades. Lately, I formed a Facebook 'Save the Hikers' campaign under an assumed name and gave afree PDF of hiking tips to 'Save the Hikers' fans to help them avoid my secret lair.

And you did all this because...?

I'm quite a nice fellow, but I enjoy my privacy. The 'Save the Hikers' campaigns keep people away frommy lair, so I'm free to do my knitting and my yoga in peace.

Abominable, I've got an idea. Would you give US a few lessons in marketing?

Indeed. Thought you'd never ask!

Abominable's Secret Tips for Getting the Word Out,


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Snowman-Style

Get people talking and keep 'em talking!

Whether it's an event held in cahoots with another business, a giveaway on your blog, or a fantasticlimited-time promotion that maximizes on your talents encourage people to talk to others about yourbusiness.

Create a referral strategy right this instant.

Up on the glacier, I reward every hiker who spreads his 'Tale of Abominable Woe' on Facebook with a boxof bonbons and a new set of hiking boots. Encourage your clients to share a referral for you on Facebookand even Yelp. (A good review is worth its weight in gold!)

Keep your clients talking about you by giving both the clients and their new-customer-friends an incentiveto book your services. Think savings on a session, a product that can't be purchased only earned or agift certificate to a local business that you just plain love.

Get local. And play nice.

Don't assume the internet is going to do all your heavy lifting for your marketing plans. Get out there andmeet people. Have coffee, work with other businesses, talk to everyone you can, and hand out yourbusiness card whenever appropriate. Approach situations as 'how can I help your business' not 'howcan you help my business and be open to other's suggestions. (I just designed a fantastic snow shoeline for a big company this way!)

Harness the power of information.

Every area is unique, and your business needs to do what works. Sometimes that goes against whatother mystical creatures have told me Bigfoot took out a Yellow Pages ad and his reputation wassecured for YEARS. My Yellow Pages ad was a total flop. He's a California dude, and I'm in the way-way-way-North, so it's a regional thing.

How do YOU get information about a new store opening, a fantastic restaurant in your area, or the placeto buy puppy fashion for the latest addition to your home? That's probably the way others get theinformation, too!

If you turn to Google first, learn about search engine optimization. If there's a community newsletter thatdelivers all your news, consider buying some ad space or pitching an article to be featured in thenewsletter.

There's no one-size-fits-all formula, you know.

I've been trying to keep my reputation scary for years now. Sometimes it's been a total disaster, like thetime they sold Abominable Girl Scout Cookies. They had a SMILING snowman on them, and it took years

to get my mystical pals to stop laughing at me. Other times like when that helicopter went down overmy glacier and I got the credit it's been sheer dumb luck that's kept me on top.

Keep doing your best, stay sharp, and use your guts. That's the best marketing advice I can give.

The Coming Year: Marketing at a GlanceYes, I want you to take Abominable's advice. Tell me when you're going to make each of these thingshappen. These are events of some kind they help to build buzz buzz buzzzzz! You may want tobrainstorm in your journal or on a separate sheet of paper. Copy your very best ideas onto this page!


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Events(Get-togethers at your studio or with other businesses. Mini-sessions, dance parties, boudoirhotel weekends, caviar and champagne celebrations of portraiture. Get creative and pick some dates.Make 'em happen.)

1.

2.

Promos (Specials or incentives to book. Bring-a-friend sessions. Tweens Are Awesome sessions. $50off your portrait session when booked by X. Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas-in-July, whatever!One per quarter.)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Giveaways(On your blog or website or Facebook or to your e-mail list. By donating to silent auctions orlive auctions. Whatever trips your trigger. One per quarter.)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Now go. Add these to your calendar, and make magic happen!


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Bigger Strategies for Marketing: Making Good Habits

These aren't time-specific, as they get worked into the fiber of your day-to-day business activities. Yourstrategies for garnering referrals, working with other businesses, and generally making your business morevisible come into play on this page.

Referrals(How will you get your clients to refer their friends to you? Will you give them referral cards tohand out to their friends? Will you tag your clients on Facebook and offer their friends an incentive tobook with 7 days? Send a direct mail piece to all clients once a year? Hold a referral contest for all yourpeeps? Encourage past clients to forward your newsletter? Bribe clients with candy?)

1.

2.

3.

Play nice. (Brainstorm five local businesspeople that you know and/or would like to meet. Schedulecoffee with them. Discuss ways to work together. Maybe it's help with an event, an in-store promotion, a

First Friday feature, writing for their business blog or newsletter. An in-store display. Banter, baby! Go'round and 'round 'til you find something that works!)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Information. (How will people find you? Online, in person, via advertising? Facebook fan page? Twitter,other social media outlets? Community newsletter, etc...? Each of the items listed below should containa goal that goes with it. Ex: Google. Get better at SEO. Buy + read SEO book. Be specific!)

1.

2.

3.

Crazy ideas that may or may not work. (Even I don't know what goes here but you do! Think outsidethe box, take a risk, and let your dreams loose.)

1.

2.

3.

Aw, yah! It's money time!


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At long last, it's time to talk turkey! Time to do some math, make some projections, and see how thisbusiness of yours is going to fare, money-wise, if all goes according to plan. High fives, you've made it tothe fun part!

You're going to need to keep that time management sheet you made in mind as you move through theexercises. You're also going to need to...

Yes,

Official?

Show 'em.

Show 'em what, Official?

Show 'em my PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS!!

We're busy, Official...we're just getting to the money...

Please, Alicia? I'll give you three Twinkies and a foot

massage!

Done! Before we go any further, let's take a look atOfficial's photography business!

Official has a knack for shooting families, and has positioned himself as the only Elven FamilyPhotographer south of the North Pole. (Thus, he has charged killer rates right from the start.)

Official shoots 1 session per week, and his killer sales technique brings in $2500 per session.

At 4 sessions per 30 days, Official grosses $10,000 per month. Official needs help deciding how thatmoney is spent, as he tends to purchase cupcakes and gummy bears when there are extra dollars in the

bank.

The following page details how I recommend he handle his business spending for the coming year. It'ssubject to monthly tweaks, of course!

The budgeting shown may increase or decrease depending on the season or cash flow.

For example, Official's marketing budget may be $2,000 for a major September promotion that fills hiscalendar through the following January, but may dwindle to $0 for the quiet months when he is focusing onbuilding his Facebook fan following.

Ultimately, Official knows his business best. It's up to him to decide how his business income is spent, and

these are just my recommendations.


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First, overhead. Elves love iPhones, just like everyone else. They also like internet access, heat,electricity, office supplies, gas for the vehicle (in this case, reindeer feed), and having an accountant. $750

Business debt Official bought 3 L lenses before he asked for my help, so he's paying these off as quicklyas possible. If you have business debt, make paying it off a priority! It's easy to let this get out of control,keeping your business from profitability for entirely too long. $500

Marketing Our little elven friend is big on sending thank you gifts to past clients, buying ad space on localblogs, running Facebook ads, and taking local elven businesswomen out to lunch. He also works hard atkeeping clients once he gets them! $300

Education Why limit learning to photography? Official takes courses in SEO, social marketing, pricing,sales,and copywriting at different times of the year. He regularly looks at the weak areas in his businessand invests in them to make his weaknesses stronger. $100

Savings for future business growth This elf has plans for a new website, and he puts money toward itevery month. $250

Savings for equipment Our Official is big on toys and can't resist stocking up on the latest and greatestevery year at the Elven Photographic Convention. He saves up for it all year, though, to avoid dipping into

his personal bank account for business supplies. $250

Finally, income! The rest of Official's monthly business income $7,850 per month is income. Cupcakesand gummy bears, here we come!

But wait! There's a catch!

Taxes in savings Official needs to put aside 30% of his income after expenses (his net income) to beabsolutely certain he has enough money to pay taxes come next April. Official, being an extremely smartelf, has a separate savings account to hold his federal, state, and local income taxes.

He's hoping to get lucky and have excess after taxes are paid and I say go ahead, buy that life-sizedchocolate sleigh if a tax return comes your way!

$7,850 (monthly net income) - $2,355 (30% of monthly net income) = $5495 = Official's income

When discussing tax strategies you must (MUST MUST MUST MUST MUST) speak to youraccountant to set up a strategy to minimize your tax burden.


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Projected Gross Income and Average Sales Goal Guide

Official has lent you his candy cane calculator to wrangle up these numbers. (It's a little sticky, so youmight need your own.) You'll also need to pay attention to any number that ends with a name like (BETTY)beside it. When you get to the Mad Libs-like grand finale, those numbers will plug in all magic-like.

Psst! If you've done the Easy as Pie worksheets, you've already completed this worksheet! Justcopy the numbers into the blanks -- you sly thing, you.

First, the number of sessions you can tackle in a month.

Write it here: ______________ (ABIGAIL)

Great! Now let's multiply that number (the one right up there, with an (ABIGAIL) beside it) by twelve. Thenumber of sessions you can complete in a year (twelve months in a year, get it?) is now marked with a(CHLOE).

_____________(ABIGAIL) x 12 = ___________ (CHLOE)

Second, we need the amount of $ you'd like your business to gross in the next twelve months. Maybeyou're the sole income for your family, so you need that gross number to be rather large. Maybe you needthe number to be the cost of a trip to Europe for three weeks, plus a new wardrobe for that time. And topay for all your family's extras for the year. Your number could be large. It could be small. Again, so longas it's realistic for your level of time investment and business commitment, it's a good one!

You'll want to aim on the high side for this number, as it's the amount you make before expenses, taxes,etc...have been accounted for. Assuming that you're working from home and can keep expenses to aminimum, I recommend doubling the amount of money you'd like to bring home to determine this number.

If you'd like to bring home $30,000 aim for your business to make at LEAST $60,000 next year.

Write it here: _______________ (BETTY)

To determine your average sales goal, equations are in order. (Yes, equations are scary. But even 2+2=4is an equation, and you've been doing that since first grade. You can do 'em!)

The official equation is as follows:

business gross DIVIDED BY total number of yearly sessions = average sales goal for the next year

Luckily, you've already done this work, and those numbers marked by (BETTY) and (CHLOE) plug right in!

________________(BETTY) DIVIDED BY ___________(CHLOE) = _________________ (DAVID)

Oh look, you need to make _____________ (DAVID) in sales per session to meet your businessgross goal! This number helps in pricing, in setting minimum order requirements, and in knowing


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whether you're missing or hitting the mark in your portrait sales on a day-to-day basis.


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Let's See those Numbers in Action!

For example, let's say I'd like to shoot 8 sessions per month, and I'd like my business to gross $200,000 inthe next 12 months.

8 sessions per month x 12 = 96 sessions per year

$200,000 (business gross) divided by 96 (# of sessions) = $2083 (average sales goal)

Keeping that average sales goal in mind will help determine the basis for realistic pricing structuresin the coming months.

If you need to make $2083 per session, collections starting at $500 and topping out at $1500 won't makemuch sense. Likewise, if you only need to make $700 per session, collections starting at $2500 will besetting your business up to miss the mark.

WOOT!!! $200,000 GROSS INCOME!????

Yep, that number in the example on the previous page sure seems HUGE. And it is, if you get to walkaway with every penny your business brings in.

Go ahead, take it. I'll just need you to pay for a few things first...

Let's see, you've got...a cell phone? A laptop? A new flash? Oh, and a camera? A backup camera,lenses, memory cards, Photoshop, Lightroom, a faster computer? Business insurance and a rockingbrochure? Heat, electricity, office supplies, professional association fees, educational materials, books, e-courses, gas, car maintenance, packaging materials, a Wacom tablet, an assistant, and an accountant?

Oh, Official didn't mention all that? Let's discuss.


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Net IncomeThe difference between profitable and failing businesses often has little to do with gross income, which youcalculated above. The key to profitability lies in the number that's calculated after all expenses have beenaccounted for: NET INCOME.

For example...

Sally had a gross income of $60,000 in her business lastyear.Sally's cost of goods sold on her products is 30%, $18,000was gone immediately.She has a studio that requires $1,500 per month inoverhead expenses like rent, electricity, phone, internet,garbage service, and cleaning service. (Another $18,000.)Sally's also addicted to workshops, so she attended five ata cost of $2,000 each. ($10,000)Oh, and then she went off to Vegas in February for WPPIand sprung for her own suite, plus an airplane flight and

daily meals. ($950).While attending the trade show, she picked up an L lensand a new camera bag. ($2,100).

Sally's business had a net income of $10,950. (Less 1/3 for taxes, Sally takes home $7336.50.)

Sally's friend Liz is TOTALLY jealous of Sally's romping business because her business netted only$40,000 last year.

The cost of goods sold on Liz's products is 15%, so$6,000 was gone immediately.Liz works from home and is doing her best to build herbusiness with minimal expenses. She has no studio

overhead aside from a portion of the rent, electricity,phone, etc...that comes as a result of having a smallhome office. ($100 per month/$1,200 for the year.)She does have an iPhone and killer service which costsher $200 per month ($2,400)Sally was committed to learning on her own, so she

joined a few forums and purchased educational materialsfrom the book store. ($1,200)Finally, Sally sprung for new marketing materials for herlatest business partnership. ($800)

Liz's business has a net income of $28,400. (Less 1/3 for taxes, Sally takes home $19,028.)

So because of smart business practices, Liz takes home more than twice what her friend does EVENTHOUGH HER BUSINESS GROSSED $20,000 LESS.

Controlling business costs is crucial, and the next portion of the book will help you plan forkeeping costs to a minimum.

When you're looking at the following pages, do your best to make reasonable estimates for each item thatapplies to you. If you have to look up your last mobile phone bill to make a better estimate, do so! Themore precise your budget, the better off your business will be...


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The Monthlies.

Monthly business expenses. How much does it take to run your business even if you don't have asingle client? Fill in all those that apply to you.

Phone:

Internet service:

Electricity:

Rent:

Heating & cooling, if separate from electricity:

Business insurance:

Web hosting:

Client proofing fees/ShootQ/other monthly service fees:

Professional association dues:

CPA and/or bookkeeping expenses:

Total monthly expenses:

Total monthly expenses x 12 = ___________ yearly expenses

These numbers reveal the absolute minimum you have to make in business to avoid going intodebt.


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The Yearlies.

The rest of our business expenses are calculated yearly so do your best to estimate thesenumbers realistically. (Listing a camera budget of $150 is unreasonable, for example...take a lookat the latest market prices to create an accurate expense list.)

Marketing expenses. This covers promotions, printed materials, relational marketing (takingbusinesspeople out for coffee!), advertising, etc...

Business cards:

Brochures:

Advertising:

Marketing to past clients (Facebook giveaways, referral cards, etc...):

Direct mail promotions/printed promotions:

Business partnership expenses (displays, promos, events, etc...)

Logo/collateral materials creation and/or design:

Other:

Education expenses. This portion of your budget can easily get out of control! When I started inbusiness, I soaked up books, searched online for answers to find the information I needed for free,and took part in a few forums. (Yep, I was broke and I learn better at my own pace.) Balancingyour personal learning style with your business budget will help you to make the most of the timeyou spend learning from others to develop your business skills.

Workshops/seminars/conventions:

Local art classes/community college classes:

Books/ebooks:

Forums/other:


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Equipment expenses. These costs will be significantly higher for those starting out in business and should decrease for those who have been in business for years. Avoid impulse purchases tokeep these costs as low as possible do your clients really care if you have 55 holiday cardtemplates to choose from?

Templates & design helpers:

Photoshop:

Actions/presets/other editing tools:

Website/blogsite:

Camera equipment/upgrades:

Lenses/flashes/other equipment/upgrades:

Other:

Savings for future business growth: Multiply your average sessions sale by 1.5 to keep for a rainyday. Use for things like renting a studio for mini-sessions, hiring a web designer for a project,larger scale marketing, etc...

Future biz growth fund:

What's it going to be used for?


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Now - add 'em up!

__________ Yearly expenses

__________ Marketing expenses

__________ Educational expenses

__________ Equipment expenses

__________ Biz growth fund

EQUALS =

__________ Your business expenses for the coming year. (ROGER)


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The Part Where It All Comes Together, Mad Libs style.

Throughout the book, you've done all sorts of calculations. Some of those calculations have namesbeside them like Evan, Betty, or David. (You'll find them in parentheses.)

On the following page, you're going to fill in your business plan, Mad Libs style. You'll need to find eachof the names listed beside the blanks in order to complete the one-page business plan to the best of yourabilities.

Oh, and you'll need to select an adjective you know, a word that describes a noun? Make it a good,happy one and record it in the appropriate space below.

Once you've filled in the blanks, grab pages13, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 25, 28, 29, 32, 35, 36, 37, and 38.Attach 'em to your Mad Libs page, and boom! A simple, completely finished business plan!


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Your One-Page Business Plan Cheat Sheet

___________________________(MY BIZ NAME) is unique to the world because

__________________________________________________________________. (SALLY) Just

because I may forget and tempted to shoot some of 'em later, I hate shooting

_______________(FREDERICO).

I can complete _____ (ABIGAIL) jobs per month and aim to gross _________ (DAVID) for each

session/job by working ______________ (EVAN) hours per week. Next year, it will cost me

________ (ROGER) to be in business.

My dreams come true! I manage to complete _________ (ABIGAIL) jobs per month and

rake in ________ (DAVID) for each session. This will leave my business with a gross income

of _______ (BETTY) and a net income of __________ (BETTY ROGER. WE'LL CALL HIM STAN). I'll

bring home ________ (STAN X .67) after taxes. This makes me very __________ (ADJECTIVE).


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CONGRATS! YOU'VE MADE IT TO THE HAPPY PLACE!

I'm thrilled to see you here, all spiffy and shiny and plan-y! Did you remember to grab pages13, 14, 17,19, 21, 22, 25, 28, 29, 32, 35, 36, 37, and 38& bundle them together? Good, good...Official has made youone last cup of congratulatory tea, and then it's off you go!

You've faced the Abominable Snowman, put up with Official's quirks, and lived to tell the tale. I'm so proudof your business finesse and making it to the final page? Of a BUSINESS PLAN!? That's huge, and youdeserve all the high fives an author like me can muster.

I'd really love it if this could be the sort-of-end of our journey together. Like, can we still hang outsometimes? Just without Official's poor driving?

I'd love to hear your review of this book, which you can e-mail me:[email protected].

If you've got a burning question about business planning that Happy Place hasn't answered, feel free tosubmit it on the home page atServed Up Fresh.

Oh, and I hang out on the Facebook VIP page more than is strictly

necessary. Hope to see you there!

If you'd like to spiff up your pricing structure, well...there's a whole'nother book for that. It's calledEasy as Pie, and you might want totake a look if you've been having trouble creating the perfect price list.

Hugs,

Alicia

P.S. Thought you might like the quote that inspired this book. It's agood one.

There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue toaccumulate more and more. The other is to desire less andless. - G.K. Chesterton
http://www.served-up-fresh.com/easy-as-pie/http://www.served-up-fresh.com/easy-as-pie/http://www.served-up-fresh.com/http://www.served-up-fresh.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

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