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CHAPTER 4 BUILDING A BUSINESS THAT WORKS... WITHOUT YOU

time laying bricks and doing carpentry work, day in and day
out, without any plans at all? Ask him what he is building and
he shrugs his shoulders saying, "I don't know. I am just laying
bricks one day at a time. Hopefully, something will come out
of it."

You would think that this guy was crazy! How can he lay
bricks every day without knowing what he is building? What
would he end up with in 12 months time or when all the bricks
are laid? Funny as this may seem, this is exactly how I see
most entrepreneurs go about running their businesses. Day
in and day out they work in their businesses with no clear
idea of what they are 'building' or where their business is
heading. Without a clear plan, your decisions will tend to be
short term, reactive and non-deliberate.

Your Vision: What Will Your Business Look Like
When It Is Finally Complete?

So, I want you to begin by closing your eyes, unleashing your
creativity and allowing your imagination to take you into the
future. Remember that you are the architect and designer of
your business.

What would your business look like when it is finally complete
such that you can decide to sell it, list it on the stock exchange
or leave it to run on its own while you collect a lifetime of
passive income?

How many outlets/offices would you like to have in each
country and which city or town? How many staff would you
employ in each outlet? What would the annual revenue, after-
tax profits be like? What would your brand stand for? What
qualities and values will your staff have? What kind of customers
will you serve? How many customers/ businesses will you

SECRETS OF BUILDING MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESSES 113