Grab a paper and pencil, again, and start taking some notes. I know you can just think about these questions, but there is something about writing them down that makes it more realistic. So, if you want realistic, trust me, write it down.

Start by telling it like a story, tell me about your business: How did you get started?

Was it a hobby that went wild? Many people just start doing something for fun. One grandmother that I met, knit mittens. She gave her mittens away to her children and grandchildren at Christmas and birthdays, her friend’s children, she gave them to the local mitten tree at Christmas, and she still had plenty left over. She decided to rent a spot at the annual Christmas bazaar, sat at the booth knitting, and sold every last pair she had. Bingo! She was in business. Now she has other grandmothers in her town knitting mittens just to keep up with the demand.

Many maple syrup producers were introduced to sugaring by a family member. A father, grandfather, or maybe an uncle. As a young child, maybe you helped in the sugar bush. Gathered sap and helped watch the evaporator. Fond memories are made and the desire to continue the tradition often take hold. Maybe you even helped sell syrup at a local event, or shared the profits or better yet, were able to have syrup for your pancakes.

Whatever the story is, it is important to know the beginnings. The beginning will help you decide where you want to be and how you are going to get there. What is it that motivates you? Passion, money.

What is it that keeps you interested in doing what you are doing? Those of us who continue with a project are usually the type to see things to the end. Some people like to challenge themselves to see if they can keep improving, get bigger, make more money, or come up with a better product. Whatever the reason, be clear why you continue to do what you are doing.

One woman I knew made cookies. Now you would think, a cookie is a cookie, but no! That is not so. The perfect cookie is one that has just the right combination of ingredients to be crisp, yet chewy at the same time. The right combination of ingredients make any taste buds call for more. It took her a few years to perfect the best recipe. She was driven to make her product just so. To have it just right. To this day, she is still working on other recipes to make them perfect. Her bakery is always full of customers who want that perfect cookie.

Maybe you want to make more maple syrup than you did last year. Maybe it is the challenge of “I can do better!” Maybe last year you had an off season, so this year you want to make up for it by putting out more taps! Driven by the challenge!

Whatever the reason, make sure you know what it is that makes you tick. With this knowledge you will have a better understanding of what it is that will help your business grow and prosper.