Hi Mike,

> A business plan needs things
> that can be measured so you know if you're
> on the right track or not. Many people don't
> know how to do that or they don't want to
> look like they've made incorrect
> assumptions.

This reminds me of the way many look at advertising... Many people DON'T want measurable advertising responses, because they sometimes prefer NOT to know if the ad is doing anything or not....

It's usually better though to make results as measureable as you can, so you know exactly what's working, and what isn't....

> Competitors and the target market are
> two-legs of the stool...what about the third
> (which rarely gets accounted for in any
> business plan)...YOURSELF. This is where (in
> my opinion) many fall down on and causes
> their plan to fail. What steps are you going
> to take to put your plan into motion. How do
> you know if you are making good progress
> everyday or just wasting time? How are you
> going to ensure you own success?

Thanks Mike, that's a great point! YOU are one component of your business, and you're right, it's just like another leg of the stool! (Without it, the stool will fall over....)

It's always so much easier to pin any blame on "the market" or on a terrible competitor, than to take responsibility yourself.... Of course, in some cases the market or the competition is to blame, but with good planning you should hopefully be able to avoid such situations.... :)

- Dien Rice