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Here is a first overview of what the architect sent us. You get to see the first draft. There is some work to be done but not bad isn't it? I am getting excited for this project. Now that Maximum Impact Simulcast is done, I can concentrate all my energy on this project!!
Ever wondered if you should or should not have a business plan? I always thought a business plan was for big companies, that it was needed for the bookshelves of multimillion dollar corporations. How beneficial would a business plan be for me?
I didn't really want to write anything, simply because I was lazy, and secondly I had no idea how to write a business plan. Either way, I started to do research on HOW to make a business plan, sucked to be me at that time.
However, interestingly enough, I started to believe in the necessity of a business plan for any organization, no matter how big they were or how small, no matter what they did in life. But writing a business plan didn't come without any headaches. For example, you should have read my first business plan, it went like this "A quick service restaurant that will serve awesome food, serving everyone and be awesome!!". As you can see, I had a very clear picture of what the business was going to be...not. I truly struggled while doing the business plan. And probably not where I thought I would have problem, such as the financial projection (I am an engineer, so I have been known to fudge numbers after all!!) or marketing positioning. No, the hardest thing I had problem with was the development of the corporate identity.
A lot of us have great ideas on how to run a company or an organization, we seem to inherently know the answers to the ongoing problems of an organization. So we jump ahead and provide the solutions and say: "do this, do that, eat this, eat that..." However very few of us are able to simply state on a piece of paper what the problem is and give a step by step execution manual to rectify the problem or put the idea into motion.
If you have an idea, a project or dream, you need a plan. A business plan is simply the blue print of your dream. Take the time to write one, take the time to see how you will be able to make your dream come true. It will help you see the value of your idea. If you can't put a step by step plan...maybe your dream is not yet ready to be birthed.
Yesterday I had a set task that I was not looking forward to do. I needed to confront my partner, in order word my, brother.
So let me put everything in context and maybe you'll understand my position at the time. My brother and I are legal partner in this venture, opening a quick service restaurant. This business is the beginning of what we believe to be a legacy for our children. I jumped head first into this adventure, like most project I take on. I poured my heart and still pouring (just ask Melissa) into it, sometimes to detriment of other obligations I have, however it is presently my priority.I started to learn everything I thought was needed, I started to seek all the counsel that existed in the world of franchising, financing, operation, entrepreneurship, leadership etc...You get the picture.
I had envisioned that my enthusiasm of the project would inevitably leak onto my brother. That by some strange event, he would grab on to the exhilaration of a new project and he too would be swept and would before long would be running with me into the sunset where the sun never set and the leaves they never fade, in this beautiful city of gold!! I mean I was in the zone, I was pushing, prodding, lifting any kind of 'ing' you can imagine.
Alas, I felt alone in this endeavor and in the past 4 days I have started to resent the partnership.
This past Wednesday, I sat alone in my room mauling over the feelings of negativity I had towards my brother. As you can imagine, any new project starting with resentment between partners needs to be taken care of as soon as possible, however my nature is not to disturb anything and anyone unless really pissed off, stew and internalize any malignant thoughts and, sadly I must confess, to victimize myself.
I had to repent, in a flash of genius, I discovered that my brother was never at fault, but I was. You see, Alain was doing all he knew he could do, with all is heart and knowledge, he did pour HIS soul into this project. The problem was me, I wanted Alain to be EXACTLY like me, to walk, to think, to feel just like me (I was going to write to poop, but I didn't feel it would be value added, oh crap I just did, of well). And there lied my mistake.
I had to ask forgiveness to my brother for having negative feelings toward him. And in return, he accepted my apologies and shared with me some of his own inner struggle. I was able to see through his own eyes and we found a way to keep on running together.
When we partner with someone in a project, we are bound to be disappointed. Simply because of our expectations of others will never be the same as their expectation of themselves. We in response to that problem, must be willing to accept our own fault and be willing to walk in the other person's shoes. You may just be surprised how fast your project may fly once all the air has been cleared out.
