The laPLANette Gazette : Spring 2009 : Portland Oregon : laPLANette

Welcome to The laPLANette Gazette! The Gazette is laPLANette’s quarterly newsletter and is designed to bring you information you can use to help you more effectively plan for the success of your business. Take a look at this inaugural issue and I’m sure you’ll find useful information in it. If you’d like to receive the newsletter, simply email laPLANette with the word 'Subscribe' in the subject line and we'll add you to the list.

Here’s a summary of what I’ll deliver in each issue…

Vickie’s Views - Working on and continually refining your business plan is one of the most important things you can do to achieve success. In each issue, my welcome note will provide tips and reminders about the things you can do to ensure your business plan is up to date and helping you to achieve your goals.

News You Can Use – There’s a lot of information out there… Each issue, we’ll share an article that we believe cuts through the noise and will add value to your business or planning process. See Planning and the Economy from Entrepreneur Magazine, below.

Client Spotlight – I’m all about helping clients succeed. In the Client Spotlight, I’ll highlight one of my clients so that you can learn about whom they are, what they offer and provide a personal connection with the entrepreneur behind the business. In this issue, I’m Spotlighting Sheryl Rudolph of FITS Riding.

Partner Spotlight – When it comes to running a successful business, having the right partners behind you will make a huge difference. I believe the business partners that I work with can help you too. The Partner Spotlight is where you’ll learn about service providers and other businesses that can help you achieve success. In this issue, I’m Spotlighting Drew Zagorski of LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing.

In upcoming issues I’ll talk about Million Dollar Business Plans, financing ideas, business planning tips, and how a business plan will help you grow your business.

My goal is to offer a newsletter that provides value for you, my reader, so your feedback is welcomed. Please let me know if there are any topics you’d like to hear about or any ideas you have for making the newsletter more effective or user friendly. Thanks for your consideration and I hope you enjoy the laPLANette Gazette!

Planning and the Economy

Entrepreneur Magazine - December 2008

The current economy is driving some of the newest and most significant changes in the way business plans are created and used. For one thing, planning may be more important now than during episodes of robust economic growth. "With the current problems businesses have, it's even more critical that they develop business plans so they can decide where they need to go to make it through these hard times," says Linda Pinson, an author and publisher of business books and business plan software.

Pinson says economic cycles drive changes in business plan sections on marketing, financing and cost projections. When consumer spending is down, for instance, she says it's even more important for plannners to refine definitions of target customers to identify those who are most likely and able to spend on their offerings.

In the financial section, the prospect of inflation affects financial projections. "Businesses have to look at how they can raise their revenues and cut their expenses," Pinson says. The same figures may increase the estimated need for startup or working capital.

And in the current credit crunch climate, you'll have to carefully target your plan to appeal to the funding sources who are most likely to listen to you. You should also be ready to include increased financial contributions from the founders or offer personal guarantees. Says Pinson, "Lender today are really looking at collateral."

Sheryl Rudolph of FITS Riding was my first client when I started my business in 2001. Hers is a phenomenal success story and I am proud to have worked with her all these years.

Sheryl Sachter Rudolph
Founder and President
FITS / Fun In The Saddle, Inc.

About FITS
In 2003, Sheryl Sachter Rudolph had a revolutionary idea for a new kind of riding breech that would be both comfortable and flattering, while allowing the rider to sit better and move more freely in the saddle. With this concept she launched FITS – Fun In The Saddle, Inc. – and during the first two years, the business evolved into a technical product specialty company.

Today FITS designs, manufactures and distributes technical apparel for horseback riding under the FITS label. FITS ideal clients are upscale tack stores specializing in English riding apparel. They are savvy merchants who take the time to educate themselves and their customers on the features, benefits and functions of the products they carry in their stores. They also merchandise their floors in a way that is more reminiscent of a high end department store than of a traditional tack/feed store.

To find a list of merchants who carry FITS apparel, visit: http://www.fitsriding.com/dealers.htm.

About Sheryl
A graduate of Oregon State University (1981), Sheryl is has always been an idea person. When the idea for the FITS riding breech came to her, she also thought of one of her favorite sayings: “The only ideas that count are the ones that you make happen.” And, being an avid horsewoman, well, she got on the horse and ran with it. In her spare time, when not in the saddle, she also enjoys reading and being active in her children’s lives.

Many of you probably already know Drew Zagorski of LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing, but if not, let me introduce you to him. Drew has helped me with various marketing projects in the last couple of years, most notably, the optimization of my website. I saw immediate results from that work. He is now helping me with some new projects (including this newsletter). I highly recommend Drew: He has a great marketing program (Marketing 1-2-3™) for small business that is very affordable, plus he’s a nice guy. If you need help with marketing, give him a call.

Drew Zagorski
Principal
LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing

About LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing
Launched in 2006, LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing (LBRB) is an independent marketing agency that works with small businesses to achieve big results. By working with you to craft logically creative marketing, branding and advertising, LBRB helps you connect with the right message, at the right time and place, using the right channel and medium.

LeftBrainRightBrain works in all media and offers solutions that are designed to engage, educate, motivate and compel your audience to take the actions you desire… because when that happens, you achieve success.

LBRB offers a unique, one-of-a-kind program called Marketing 1-2-3™, that enables small businesses to have a full-service marketing department, without the big agency costs or hiring employees. Marketing 1-2-3™ offers all the marketing options you need and allows you to put a 12-month marketing program in place for a low, monthly fee, so wrangling with marketing budgets is a non-issue.

LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing Services

Portland Business Journal 2009 Women in Business Expo
April 23 5:30 to 8:30pm
Oregon Convention Center

WEO Dinner Meeting
"Finding Gold Nuggets in Diffucult Times"
April 14 5:45 - 8:30pm
Kells Irish Pub

WEO Lunch and Learn
"A Unified Brand Experience Through Visible and Invisible Branding"
April 16 12 to 1pm
Izzy's in Beaverton