This article by Johanna Baker-Dowdell has been published on Mum Zone. Have a look at: http://www.mumzone.com.au/business_careers_sustaining_success.php

As a business person you might think there would be no business if you weren’t around, but this is not always the case. It pays to put some time into thinking about the type of business you want and plan for the end at the beginning. Start by thinking about why you established the business and what your goals are, preferably before the business is launched. You might be on maternity leave and want to see if you can combine working from home with looking after your child. Or, you might have been made redundant and have found there is a gap in the market where your skills lie. Either way, it is important to have a clear goal when you start your business and this will ensure you are always working towards your desired end result. Put simply, you wouldn’t buy a two-seater convertible car for a family of five, so why invest your valuable time and money into a business without making sure it is sustainable? Planning a sustainable business is not just about having a great logo or an animated website, but about the business’s structure and direction. Here are a few tips to consider: [Read more…]