A Five-Word Business Plan?

By: Michael Beiter

I've created what I always dreamed of: a business that supports my lifestyle and helps people.

Today, my 8 am was Aaron. He is in his second year of work with me.

My 10 am is with Erin; she is in her third year of work with me.

My 11 am is Aaron, in his sixth year of work with me.

When we were watching the Super Bowl, we were streaming it from an Alabama local station. One of the local commercials continually aired was for a lawn and landscape company with a five-word business plan: Work hard and help people.

That little plan spawned an international business out of a guy's garage in Bama. I'm not after anything like that as far as scale, but my plan is similar, and the meetings today prove the concept.

My business plan: Teach them so much they don't need you. Treat them so well that they never leave you.

Their sustained health and fitness status demonstrate that they don't need me. Three people's combined eleven years of tenure show they won't leave me.

So I'm proud to be a small business owner with a short plan that works. And I LOVED seeing an even shorter plan work for an even bigger business.