Women are natural multi-taskers and that’s what makes us fabulous businesswomen and insightful entrepreneurs. But ask any successful business person and they will tell you that inspiration and diligence are not enough to survive, particularly in an inhospitable marketplace.

In my book BOOM!, I detail the three traits that, in my opinion, are crucial to being a successful entrepreneur. You need:

1. absolute passion
2. a can-do attitude, and
3. the ability to be totally honest with yourself and others.

I describe these three essentials as a “the legs of a stool that allows you to stand tall and reach higher.” But you also need to know what you are reaching for, as well as why and how you are going to get it.

I am a great believer in having a clear vision of what you want to do and where you want to be with a business, and then planning how you are going to get there before you leave the “departure lounge.” After all, you wouldn’t go on a road trip without consulting a map, checking the gas and visiting the bathroom would you? And don’t forget the power of positive thinking. If you plan for success, you will achieve it.

My experience with my startup cosmetics company, Diva, made me realize that planning and preparation are very important parts of a business, and prospective entrepreneurs need to be disciplined in their approach in order to give themselves and their businesses the best chance of success. The more I thought about them, the seven BOOM! business disciplines that I used to make Diva such a success, became clearer in my mind. The first four ensure strong foundations are laid and the last three offer the building blocks of business management skills.

These business disciplines are exactly what enabled me to start my cosmetics business from scratch and sell it just four years later, gaining financial freedom. They are also what I use when mentoring other businesses today. Note that these are not rules. Rather, they are ways of disciplining your business behavior. There is a difference. Think about that!

Here’s an overview:

Discipline 1: Business Strategy

This discipline fits squarely in the “planning for success” box. It is about bringing your business into focus, clarifying your vision and developing a framework upon which to base your business decisions. This is all about the big picture, and about defining your business mission in as few choice words as you can.

Discipline 2: Business Planning

If strategy gives you the co-ordinates of where you want to be, planning is the map you draw to find your way. If you set out without a proper destination, how will you know when you have arrived? This discipline is also about limiting the unexpected. Although surprises will always happen in life and in business, if you have planned for contingencies, you will be better equipped to weather any storms.

Discipline 3: Marketing Management

No matter how good your business idea or how effective your business plan, if you do not market your products or services, no one will know what you do or where to find you. Good marketing is about communicating with the right customers in the most effective ways.

Discipline 4: Practical Finance

Finances are something that many people leave to their accountants, but why? The business is not your accountant’s, it’s yours. You need to have your finger on the financial pulse at all times. Cash flow is the blood of your business—without cash, your business will suffer a huge coronary. Figures may not be your strong point, but knowing where you are financially is just as important as knowing where you are geographically. Never rely on anyone else to tell you how much money you have!

Discipline 5: Team Building

Once the foundations have been laid, team building will help you maximize your most important business resource, your people. People can literally make or break your business as it expands, so it is important to make sure you have a range of complementary skills within your team, and that you match the right person to the right job.

Discipline 6: Customer Commitment

Without customers, your team is just a collection of people. Customer commitment is all about finding identifying and satisfying your customers’ wants and needs. Remember, customers needs will change, so keep checking to determine whether you are still meeting those requirements. And never forget that the fastest thing to spread in business is a bad review, so avoid them at all costs!

Discipline 7: Personal Development

Many people do not consider this to be a business discipline at all, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Who is the driving force behind your business? Who is the foundation upon which your business is built? You need to attend to your own personal needs in order for your business to thrive. Some people need fresh challenges, others need order and stability. Do whatever you need to do to maintain your personal momentum, drive the business forward and feed the passion that got you started in the first place.

I truly believe that these disciplines can help every business achieve its BOOM! Potential. Why not yours?

About the Author

Emma Wimhurst is an entrepreneur, international motivational speaker and author of BOOM! 7 Disciplines to Control, Grow and Add Impact to Your Business. Emma took her first business, Diva Cosmetics, from her kitchen table to a multimillion dollar turnover in just four years. Now, as an international motivational speaker and business mentor to small business owners and entrepreneurs, she shares the secrets of her success with others. Visit Emma’s website, www.EmmaWimhurst.co.uk and learn more about her book and DVD at www.boompreneur.co.uk.

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