"Success has a simple formula: do your best, and people may like it. "
Sam Ewing
Many people believe that all they need is a good marketable product or service and to work hard, and they will become successful.
Unfortunately, building a successful small business is not that simple. Having a good product or service does not mean that people will automatically buy them. And working hard, alone, will not guarantee the success that you are looking for.
So then, what secret do those men and women who do operate a successful business possess? It's no secret at all, really. What sets them apart from those who fail is that they have recognized the importance of sound planning and good management practices. They understand that these two elements, planning and management, are at the core of business success.
Planning should begin long before you ever even attempt to "open your doors for business." Developing a sound business plan is a vital key to the success of your business venture. The business plan is your road map to the success that you are looking for. A properly prepared business plan not only forces you to think about and develop all aspects of your business operations, but it will also help you to stay on course toward your business goals and objectives.
Developing a business plan isn't a one time deal that only do when starting up your business. The business plan is a management tool, used to chart the success of your business and help you keep your business activities going in the right direction in order to meet that success. Once you have developed your initial business plan, good sound management practices are important in order to follow your plan and measure it's progress.
Management means much more than giving instructions to those who work for you or filling customer orders. It means utilizing the money, people, and resources you have available to the maximum in order to achieve the goals and objectives of your business plan. It also means keeping accurate records of your business operations and using them to evaluate the changes, trends, strengths and weaknesses of your business.
Many of the sites we have linked to will help you with information, instructions, suggestions and tools for developing a business plan and managing your business. We hope that you find these resources invaluable in helping you to build your business into a success. 
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