Running a business is like going out to Onepu Mountain Bike Park.
If you haven’t done your research or been out there before, the temptation to go through the main track and head straight up past the sandpit to “The Ridge” to get up to the top is pretty high. For the uninitiated, the track straight up The Ridge is straight up and down. I think it would be safe to say you wouldn’t want to attempt it if you didn’t have a reasonable level of fitness, biking experience – or an e-bike.
The first time I attempted it was with my family on our brand-new mountain bikes. My husband reckoned we could do it and biked on ahead of Jess (who was only about 7 and the time) and I. I tried to keep Jess encouraged and moving forward but eventually had to get off my bike as she had given up not even halfway up to keep her company. We made it in the end – with over half of it walking, however the enthusiasm had waned on what we thought we were going on a leisurely family outing.
Once we got to the top, we stood with our bikes trying to catch our breath. My husband who likes to think he can win at all costs (even if he had had a heart attack trying to get to the top) wanted to carry on to another potential unknown and traumatic track. So we argued about what a dumb idea it was and voted on who wanted to give up and go home there and then.
Had we done our research first, we might have tried one of the other less onerous tracks to the top. A track that had more gentle ups and downs along the way that were easier for us all to stay on our bikes right to the top. It might have taken us longer to get there but the outing would have been a lot more enjoyable and we would have been enthusiastic and excited to reach the top. We would have had the energy to celebrate our accomplishments when we got there. Then we would have been positive about the thought of planning which track we were going to take next.
Running your own business without a business plan is a bit like going to Onepu Mountain Bike Park. If you don’t plan the course of action, it can be like riding straight up the Ridge to the unknown. Taking the time to stop and read the map before you head out, it’s like having a business plan. Stop and think about the results you are after, do your research and then plan your course of action. Take into account your capabilities (or the capabilities of your team) and work out which track is going to keep you motivated and help you achieve the end result. Yes, there will be some ups and downs along the way but gentle ups and downs are more likely to keep the whole team motivated to reach the end goal. And when you reach those goals at the top, make sure you stop and look back at where you have been and celebrate what you have accomplished with your team.
