In the latest episode of the 3Spoonies podcast, hosts Claire, Jo, and Karen dive into the intricate world of business planning with special guest Sheena Whyatt from Kapow! This episode unpacks the essentials of business planning, providing listeners with insightful tips and personal anecdotes that highlight the importance of adaptability and perseverance in business. You can find out more about Sheena here.
A Journey into Business Coaching
Sheena Whyatt shares her journey from a background in learning and development to becoming a successful business coach. Initially, Sheena found herself stuck in the competitive world of freelance training, primarily focused on teaching technical skills like Excel and PowerPoint. However, a pivotal moment at a networking meeting led her to realise she was selling the wrong services. This epiphany guided her to pivot towards business coaching, focusing on helping others grow their businesses—a path she passionately follows today.
The Essence of Business Planning
The episode delves into the fundamentals of business planning, where Sheena emphasises that planning is not merely jotting down ideas on paper or post-it notes. True business planning involves setting actionable goals and marrying those plans with productivity. She explains that the first step in effective planning is identifying your “big goal” and working backward from there to create a roadmap towards success.
Creating a Flexible Framework
Sheena advises that business plans should be adaptable rather than rigid documents. Instead of focusing on long-term timelines that can constrain creativity and responsiveness, she suggests using bullet points or checklists that allow business owners to respond to changes and opportunities as they arise. This flexibility is crucial for navigating the unpredictable nature of business and life.
The Power of Adaptability and Persistence
One of the key messages from Sheena is the importance of adaptability in business. She encourages business owners to “adapt to survive, plan to thrive,” meaning that one should be open to change and willing to re-evaluate strategies as needed. Persistence, or as Sheena puts it, “keep buggering on,” is also vital. She underscores that a change in direction is not a failure but a necessary step towards finding what truly works.
The Wall of Brain
Sheena introduces the concept of the “Wall of Brain,” a space in her office where she parks her ideas on post-it notes. This visual representation helps her manage and prioritise her thoughts, turning fleeting ideas into actionable plans. The wall also serves as a source of motivation, featuring affirmations and reminders of past successes, encouraging resilience and self-belief. You can find out more about Sheena here.
Ignite: Making Professional Development Accessible
Towards the end of the episode, Sheena unveils her passion project, Ignite. This initiative aims to provide small business owners with affordable access to professional and personal development resources, challenging the notion that such opportunities should come with a corporate price tag.
Conclusion
Episode 2 of the 3Spoonies podcast offers a wealth of knowledge on business planning, emphasising the importance of setting clear goals, remaining adaptable, and persevering through challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, the insights shared by Sheena Whyatt are invaluable for anyone looking to thrive in the business world.
Be sure to listen to the full episode for more tips and stories here.
Join our mailing list to get every new episode to your inbox as it’s released on Thursdays.