Your business plan is ready to go! Now let’s execute it.

The fourth and final part of our series, “Planning Your Most Epic Year Ever.”

We’re diving into how to execute your business plan! If you haven’t had a chance to catch up on parts one through three, definitely start there! That is how I created the series, to build upon each strategy and give you a firm foundation going forward.

• Part one was all about creating a personal plan for the year
• Part two lays out exactly how to execute that personal plan

If you don’t take the time to create your plan and lay out the steps to achieve those goals, it will affect your business planning and execution. Which is where part three picks up!

• Part three helps you create your business plan
• Part four (here) will go over executing that plan

Have that business plan from part three ready to go for this final part of the series! I have also equipped you with so many tools and strategies to use throughout the year with workbooks. Print the workbook for each part of the series to look back on and reflect on often. If you haven’t had a chance yet to grab the workbook, head on over to thepurposegathering.com/epicworkbook. If you’re all set, let’s do this!

Focus on Systems not just Goals

Goal setting is sort of a universal term that resonates with a lot of people. Goals give us a really great starting point. But if you solely focus on the goals, it’s going to be really hard to attain and meet that goal. Goals should not be your focus, instead focus on systems and habits. Focusing on systems will help you formulate a long term habit, and create a sustainable workflow for you to continue meeting those goals.

Organize and Simplify Business Goals

In part three, I talked about narrowing down your 2022 goals, or your goals for the upcoming year.

• Get clear on four to five big, audacious goals that you want to work towards
• Lay those goals out into the quarters they fit into or..
• Break them down into smaller, bite sized steps to stretch across the year

The next step is to organize it and have it written down in a very clear way, or in a spot that you can easily make reference to it on the go.

Implementing Systems, Checklists and Workflows

You need to have a dedicated CEO time block where you focus on the future of your business. Part of creating systems is working on the future of your business. If you fail to take the time to organize and simplify your plan in an easy to follow and easy to execute system, you’re not going to do it. Make a promise to yourself right now. You are going to do this every single week, regardless of your schedule. Take a quick second now, look at your schedule. Think through when you will dedicate two to three hours to work on your business. Put it in your calendar on repeat and never miss a date. This is going to be the most important date that you have with yourself during the week.

Fight for this time block, it is absolutely crucial to the execution of your business goals.

In part three, you listed out all the goals that you wanted to accomplish. Then you narrowed it down to four or five big goals. Now you need to be even more specific on the tasks and steps you will take towards those goals. This is how you will create your systems and workflows to make this happen. Once you have those steps, I highly recommend either using Trello, another task management platform, or have it printed out. Be very detailed with each and every one of your goals.

Time Blocking

Time blocking is just like a budget for your money where you allocate certain times for certain tasks. We all have the same amount of hours in our day so it’s important that you spend them wisely. I heard this incredible quote once that says:

“My schedule is far less about what I want to get done, and far more about who I want to become.”

I have been living by this motto lately, ensuring that I am being really particular and intentional with my time. Your calendar is the most crucial tool you have, and it will help you become who you want to be.

Tired of living in chaos, and ready to throw excuses out the window? I would love to invite you to a free masterclass called Productivity with Purpose. You can grab that free masterclass over at thepurposegathering.com/productivity. I want to give you a brief overview from that masterclass, so you have an idea of where we’re heading.

Productivity with Purpose Masterclass

#1: Choosing your system and figuring out how you will organize your schedule.

#2: Creating a master task list where you write down all the things that you’re responsible for.

#3: Decide on what time blocks you actually need and the days and times you plan to implement those time blocks.

#4: Assign the tasks within their corresponding time block, making sure that these tasks are specific and that you stick to the allotted time block.

#5: Creating “margin” or a “nothing” time block where you have time to make up for things that ran late or tasks that were not completed.

Additionally, I have two incredible complimentary episodes for you. These are going to be really helpful when it comes to executing your business plan, and your personal plan. They are Episode 69, which focuses on “Setting the Tone and Following Through” and Episode 70, entitled “How to Handle Distractions and Interruptions.” Be sure to check both of them out.

Shiny Object List

So I mentioned this next piece in part three and I like to call it the shiny object list. This is going to be a really helpful tool when it comes to executing your business goals. Keep a shiny object list where you put down all of those incredible ideas of things you want to accomplish. This list is going to live on Trello, a note on your phone, or whatever task management system you use. If you’re anything like me, you tend to get a lot of really good ideas. They fly into your head, and all of a sudden your wheels are spinning! You’re going down a rabbit hole of something that was not on your goal list to begin with.

This shifts your focus and slows down momentum towards reaching your goals and could honestly derail you from those goals for good.

Once you have solidified those goals, make that shiny object list somewhere that you can access it readily. When doing your monthly or quarterly reviews, see if any of these align with your next set of goals. If they do, implement them, put them into your system. If not, leave them on that list to check back on later.

Accountability

Find someone who is not afraid to hurt your feelings. Someone that will speak truth into your life when you come to them with a question or business idea. You need someone that can hold you accountable, whether that be a trusted friend, mentor, or your spouse. In addition to someone else holding you accountable, you need a way to hold yourself accountable.

You can do this by having a weekly check in with yourself. Do a pulse check on your heart and see how things are going in your business and in your personal life.

Remember, your business is 100% affected by how things are going in your personal life. If things are not going well personally, your business will suffer.

Be clear every single week on what the pulse of your heart is. Make sure that you’re staying on path with what you’re supposed to be doing. You can even print and use the sample weekly check-in that’s in the workbook and ask yourself these questions:

• How are you feeling personally?
• How is it affecting your business?
• What are my action steps for the week?
• Am I staying on track?
• Where am I falling behind?
• What are the potential struggles that I’m facing?
• Where do I need support?

These questions can be really impactful and help you navigate moving forward without going off path away from your goals. You should also do a quarterly check in as well to review what’s going on. Make sure that you have a clear, actionable and simplified plan moving forward into the new quarter.

Heart Check

After going through this whole series, how are you feeling Mama? Are you feeling a little bit overwhelmed? Are you feeling excited? It’s my hope that you’re feeling super energized, pumped and ready to tackle this new year. That you have a plan, you’re going through these steps with me, and you are thinking big picture. You’re taking action and putting aside the time to plan your personal life as well as your business. And you have the clear structure in place in order to execute all of those goals.

ACTION STEPS

• Make sure you have all of the workbooks for this series downloaded
• Revisit parts one through three if you’re still working on your personal and business plans
• Create a checklist or workflow on Trello (or similar task management platform) to go along with each of your goals
• Assign due dates to those tasks, and then add them to your calendar. Turn notifications on so you are taking care of them and staying on track
• Check out Episode 69, “Setting the Tone and Following Through” and Episode 70, “How to Handle Distractions and Interruptions” for some additional support

Interested in hopping into 2022 with a more clear, actionable plan? Want to have the foundational principles you need to build a profitable photography business? How about having support along the way? We’d love to have you inside the Side Hustler to CEO program. Please book a call with me! I would love to chat with you and see if this program would be a good fit! If not, I can point you in the direction of something that would better support you. You can schedule that discovery call over at thepurposegathering.com/coaching.

As always mama I am here rooting for you and you are not alone on this journey.

Resources

• The Purpose Gathering Side Hustler to CEO Group Coaching Program
• Join our next Virtual Hangout – A great way to connect with like-minded mom photographers discussing various topics related to motherhood and business!
• Grab your copy of the Epic Workbook!
• Ep 69. Setting the Tone and Following Through
• Ep 70. How to Handle Distractions and Interruptions
• FREE Productivity with Purpose Masterclass
• Find me on Instagram: @thepurposegathering