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5 6 G R A P H I C S P R O • J U N E 2 0 2 3 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M everything through. en you put it into bricks and mortar. You begin with the end in mind." To begin with the end in mind when it comes to starting a busi- ness (or even growing one), you have to determine what the ideal business is and what your goals are. Start with goal-setting, or as I like to call it, goal-getting. It is important to be both ambitious and realistic. You want to set goals that challenge you but are also achievable. It's also crucial to break down your goals into smaller, more manageable steps. is approach will help you stay motivated and make progress even when the end goal seems far away. e differences between a goal-setter and a goal-getter are slight but mighty. You must be very specific, and you must also set up milestones along the way that allow you to believe you will achieve the next steps to keep you moving forward. A goal-getter sets up strategies or processes to track and measure how they are doing on the journey to their goals. ese measure- ments are a tool to tell you what to do more of and what to try dif- ferently. ey are not a way to point out failures, but instead should be utilized as inspiration. Marketing groundwork is another critical element of your plan. Many times, when I discuss marketing with others, they go S T A R T H E R E immediately to the strategies. For example, the email blast they want to send out, the social media ad they want to run, or other similar tactics. But before doing any of that, you need to spend some time on the most valuable part of marketing, and that is the ground- work. You need to have a clear understanding of your ideal customers and how to reach them. is includes developing a brand personality that resonates with your target audience and creating a product mix that speaks to their needs and desires. When it comes to your product mix, it's important to strike a balance between offering a variety of products and services and staying focused on what you do best. Too many options can overwhelm your customers and dilute your brand. You want to offer a range of products that complement your core offering and provide value to your customers. Being all things to everyone will make you nothing to no one. You should also have an understanding of your overhead, pricing strategy, and priority management plan. is is what I call the numbers game — costs, profits, and time. If you focus on these three numbers, you will be creating a business you love. Yes, there are lots of other numbers, metrics, and data that you could track, but these three numbers will net you 80% of the value of all the numbers in your business. Focus on these things and then leave the rest of the numbers to people who love them — accountants, bookkeepers, and financial plan- ners, for example. By planting these seeds, you are going to be well on your way to a business you love. ese foundations will make it so much easier, more exciting, and more joyful to be a small business owner, especially when combined with great education, sup- port, and mentorship. START HERE Academy in Indianapolis on June 14 is a per- fect opportunity to take your business to a new level with the support of the wonderful sponsors like STAHLS', Press Hall, GS2 Awards, CorelTrainer.com, Rayzist, Mimaki, and more. e event will be filled with valuable insights from experts like Lori Champagne of Champagne Engraving, who will share Keeping Peace and Profitability in Your Home-Based Business, and Angel Broadnax of Angel B. Designs, who will guide us by sharing Build Your Brand: How to Make Sales and Influence People. Committing to continuous daily improvement is a great way to stay inspired and motivated. As Pablo Picasso said, "Action in the foundational key to all success." I suggest you take the information you learn at the START HERE Academy and from this magazine and start taking action right away. You want to take action out of inspiration, not desperation. I can't wait to talk to you about all the ways we can improve together at START HERE Academy. If you see me there, be sure to stop and say hello, and let me know that you read this arti- cle. I'll have a token for you that will help you take action. GP "ACTION is the foundational KEY to all SUCCESS" — Pablo Picasso