Every new business owner knows that a business plan is critical – it is drilled into them by potential investors and every banking officer they meet. So why is something that is so important to launch of a new venture so difficult to write? Good question! In this article I will try to address when you should go out and hire a business plan writer versus taking on task yourself. First time entrepreneurs often cringe when sitting down to write their business plan. Some spend 6 months agonizing over each period and comma, and even worse others spend 6 months procrastinating and do nothing. So lets break it down and see where / when a business planning company should be brought in

Who will read your business plan and why?

First you need to really understand purpose of your business plan and who your audience (reader) will be. This is an important point as a business plan being written for a $100,000 loan is VERY different than a document needed for a $10 million round of venture capital! Since this article is focused on first-time small business owners, I will focus on preparing business plans raising less then $1 million in capital. For this “startup” or “seed” business plan 30-35 pages are perfect. You are not expected to deliver a thick book (and no one will read it anyway!). Once you have this down, you can honestly assess which sections you are qualified / comfortable writing and which may need consulting help

Here is what you should write on your own

It is important for you to write a basic draft / outline of your business plan. Without this direction you are probably asking too much of your consultant. Once you have your thoughts organized on paper you can see what you are comfortable completing. Here are a few suggestions:

Executive Summary: Draft opening of your business plan – then hire a pro to come in and re-write it. Your executive summary will be read first and first impressions are critical!

Marketing: You need to write your own definition of your target customer / audience. For market research on industry growth and fancy charts go ahead and hire a consultant.

Competitive Analysis: You should put together first draft of this section, as it is almost as important to understand your competitors, as it is your customers. If you find a consultant that is an expert in your field, then you can work together and add to your initial list.

Jobs are heating up. We're all feeling pinch of hiring freezes and information overload. Workplace stress is increasing right along with workload.

Headaches are turning into migraines; back pains are driving us to chiropractor, and minor irritations are causing tempers to flair.

In addition to our personal reaction to stress, it is taking its toll on bottom line. Stress is driving up cost of health care, and we can see a huge impact in things like tardiness, absenteeism, personnel turnover, and accidents. The annual price tag of stress in corporate America is more than $150 billion.

While forecasters tell us we can expect more of same, we need our jobs, and we need to find ways to control stressors that are taking a affecting our health and productivity.

Here are 11 ways you can keep your cool and minimize impact of stress on your life.

Do your own job - When poor work habits of others create stress, remember why you're there. Pay attention to your own job. You will not be rated on performance of others, but boss will note quality of your work. Stay focused on job you were hired for, and let management deal with improving department or company. Don't get stressed about things that are not your responsibility.

Organization - Regardless of company expectations, you can alleviate a lot of your stress by organizing your work space and getting a firm grasp on work that must be done. Even if you have to pay for it yourself, get tools needed to organize your effort, e.g. files, furniture, PDAs, software, and training. Work with your boss to prioritize projects and routine tasks. Only get concerned about unfinished work if boss gives it a priority. You'll never get everything done, so pick most important and file everything else in an easy to reach file drawer.

Communication - It's important to maintain your supervisor's comfort level, so meet with them as often as necessary to keep them informed of projects and progress. Give them updates way they want them (email, memos, briefings, etc.), and persist in getting feedback that is so important in reducing stress. Use this same strategy with those who give you information or products to do your job and those who depend on what you give them. Good communication is essential for good stress control.

Interruptions - Avoid stressful interruptions by controlling your schedule and your communications. Establish times for meeting with those who want information from you and hold them to it. The more persistent you are, more organized they will be. Handle phone calls and respond to email during specific times. Develop a list of people and events that disrupt your job and work with each until it is under control.

Family Time - Family situations are among greatest stressors at work. There's an old axiom that says, "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." It's true. Avoid future problems by prioritizing family time on your schedule and stick to it. Get professional help if you're unable to resolve sticky situations.