Outlining Your Dreams

Having a clear outline for your college paper helped get you an A, and going into business is no different. To achieve your dreams, you need a clear picture of what you want. And it helps to put it in writing…

• Begin by choosing three words to describe your business, even if that business is not yet off the ground.

• Then put your operating principles in writing. This will likely be the precursor to your company vision or mission statement, so take the time to get it right.

• Next, list some additional adjectives that you want to associate with your vision. Play around with it, and be creative. This is the fun part.

And remember, the clearer the picture, the easier it will be to transform your vision into reality.

Here’s how Elizabeth Lessner, owner of Betty’s Family of Restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, which includes Betty’s Fine Food and Spirits, The Surly Girl Saloon, Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails and Dirty Frank’s Hot Dogs(coming soon) got her start. Even before she opened her first restaurant, Elizabeth was trying to find a niche. She wanted to create an environment where women could go—a place to hang out and feel comfortable, free of hassles and full of fun! “It seemed like I could do it,” she recalls about her initial vision. So, she decided to take a chance. Sure, there were skeptics in her life, people who doubted her ability to make it happen—especially at such a young age. And frankly, without that clear picture, it could have flopped. But Elizabeth had clarity, and she went after it—and that made a huge difference in the outcome.

You, too, can follow a dream—a similar dream of owning your own business, perhaps. In the meantime, learn more by reading the stories of other featured entrepreneurs and share your stories at RealYouIncorporated.com.