Here’s what we will cover today:

• Discover how to reverse-engineer your vision into a winning business strategy.

• Win over investors with market research that makes them say “yes.”

• Explore seven creative design trends shaping 2025 and how they impact your brand.

Quote of the Day

"I've never felt like I was in the cookie business. I've always been in a feel good feeling business. My job is to sell joy. My job is to sell happiness. My job is to sell an experience.”
~Debbi Fields

Today’s Tip

Yesterday, I asked you to write down your long-term vision. Today I’ll show you how to achieve your vision by reverse engineering it.

You can do this by completing the following exercises:

1. Identify Your Key End-Game Metrics

Answer the following questions:

• By what date would you like your vision to be achieved?

• What will your company’s annual revenues be at this date?

• How many customers will you have at this date?

• How many employees will you have at this date?

• On this date, what will your day-to-day responsibilities be?

• On this date, what will be your top-selling products and/or services?

2. Reverse Engineer Success within the Key Functional Areas

Answer the following questions as if today was the future date in which you achieved your long-term vision and you were looking backward.

Marketing:

• What marketing channels allowed you to attract/gain the most customers?

• What have you done to fully satisfy your customers?

• What business partnerships (if any) have you forged that have resulted in significant numbers of new clients?

R&D:

• What have you done to develop your top-selling products and/or services?

Human Resources:

• Who are your key managers who motivate and manage your other employees? When did you find these key managers? Where did you find them? How did you develop them?

• When did you start ramping up your hiring process?

Operations:

• What systems have you built to ensure your business runs smoothly and without your required day-to-day involvement?

Finance: 

• Who funded you along the way? How did you meet these funding sources?

3. Create Your Action Plans

Create action plans from your answers above.

For example, if you answered “direct mail” as your top marketing channel, document your direct mail strategy. For example, document who you will mail to, what your message will be, what your direct mail timeline will be, etc.

Follow the above steps to build a great company.

Today’s Resource

Make Investors Say “Yes!”

Successful business plans share one thing: compelling market research. 

It’s what convinces investors your idea is worth their money. 

Growthink delivers everything you need from customer demographics to competitive profiles.

Win over investors. 

Trivia

Today’s Question: What famous drink was introduced as "Brad's Drink" in New Bern, North Carolina in 1893 at a drugstore? The product was renamed five years later after the Greek "p" word for "digestion."

Previous Question: What six-letter hairstyle is popularly associated with the semi-ironic phrase "business in front, party in the back"?

Previous Answer: Mullet

The mullet is a hairstyle in which the hair is cut shorter at the front and sides, but is longer at the back.

News

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