As we prepare to kick off the course, I’d like you to spend some time reflecting on where you are today, what you want to get out of the next 3-6 months (and beyond), and where the biggest gaps are.

1. Assessing your goals

I’ve prepared a questionnaire covering (1) you, (2) your business and (3) the programme. Please complete these before we get started and send your answers over to me to help me understand your specific goals and how I can best help you throughout the programme.

2. Evaluating your business model

As you work through the modules, you’ll effectively be refining different aspects of your business model, from the big picture vision for the business to a solid customer understanding, how you are going to solve their problem(s), what makes you credible in doing exactly that, the right mix of products and services, how you will market and sell those packages and the financials and support you’ll need to achieve it.

I’ve developed my own version of a business model canvas that captures these different aspects (there are several different approaches floating around online!) and we’ll be coming back to this throughout the programme. For now, have a go at filling it in so that we can see where you are at the start of the programme and where there are opportunities for getting more clear and strategic.

Again, I’ll be diving into the specific sections with you in the coming weeks and months, so don’t worry if you need to leave a lot of the sections blank right now or if it’s just a first attempt. If you’re in the situation where you have several directions in which you might want to take the business, you can also fill in several versions of the template.

Again, please send it back to me for reference so that I know where you are at the start of the programme. (There’s a version with questions to guide you, and another with more space for you to fill in your answers.)