For some of you the school year has already begun and for others, September is that time of new shoes, school supplies and kids heading back to the classroom.

Whether you’re fresh out of university with a degree under your belt or a veteran business owner, what you learned in grade school is still relevant. The kids are continuing their education, what about you?

Here are 3 Back-to-School Basics for Business (and a Bonus!) we need to revisit.

Create a Lesson Plan – Fail to plan, you plan to fail. And you don’t want just a passing grade – ace it! Business without a plan is like jumping in the car one afternoon and saying you want to drive to Mexico. (you live in Vancouver!) but you have no map, no provisions, no itinerary …. No clue! You might make it.  

Do your Homework – To your clients, you ARE the expert in your field. Become the expert by researching and studying everything you can in your area of expertise.

The 3 ‘R’s’ – They were basic when you were in school and they still form the foundation of any learning experience.

Reading – There are so many fabulous books both hard copy and online that can help you achieve success in your business. What’s on your reading list?

(w)Riting – If you haven’t already, start a blog, contribute to online magazines, create a company facebook page or start a client eNews.  The more visible you are, the more clients you’ll acquire.

(a)Rithmetic – Do you know how many clients/purchases you need to make your year a success? Have you figured out the dollar value of each client? Are you keeping track of your revenue so you know what needs to be done for the remainder of the year? Just sayin’ …

BONUS! Participate in ‘After-School’ Activities – “All work and no play make Jill a dull girl.” Network, network, network! It’s imperative that you get out and play with the other kids! Creating connections and valuable business relationships can make all the difference in business. What ‘teams’ (associations, networks) do you belong to? What community events do you participate in?

All you ever need you learned in grade school. Apply them to your business. Sometimes the most simple things can be the most powerful!

If you need help with your lesson plan or want a ‘study buddy’ – you know where to find me!

Now Go Get Connected!

About Cathy Kuzel

Cathy is one connected woman! With 20+ years of experience as a successful Entrepreneur and Business Coach, she is recognized across Canada for her in-house and public seminars on “All Things Small Biz”. Named one of the Top Ten Mentors in Canada, Cathy is the Founder of The Connected Woman Association, Author of “Are You a Collector or a Connector?”; “I’m on the Phone!” and the internationally known “Daily Espressos”.