[an error occurred while processing this directive]

To continue receiving this newsletter, please add newsletter@m3planning.com to your contacts. Thanks!


Your StrategyCheck September is Readiness Month!	September 2005

Welcome to this month's StrategyCheck!
September is the beginning of strategic planning season. We want to kick it off with a discussion about readiness and continuity planning. In light of the Gulf Coast disaster, we hope you will take a moment to think about your company's readiness now and for the future. Our thoughts and prayers are still with those that are recovering.

Until next month and take care,
Erica Olsen
Founder, VP of Marketing
M3 Planning

Without readiness and continuity planning, your business may not survive a future storm. Here are three articles to help prepare for disaster, change, and moving on.

Readiness: Are you prepared?
Ready for anything? Most people aren’t, nor are most businesses. Readiness is not just about disaster preparedness, it is being ready for opportunity, as well as adversity. Readiness is a lifestyle, and any organization reaps the rewards of “all those little things” that seem to add up when the time is right. Just like they pay the price when “all those little things” weren’t done until it was too late.

Little things like examining disability insurance, especially when you’re the sole proprietor, or main principal of your business, and nothing really happens if you’re not functional. Take a moment and imagine that you sustained some kind of injury that kept you completely out of your business for ten days ... Read the rest of the article.

StrategyCheck:
Business Continuity Planning
“The show must go on.” That’s what we’re really talking about. Life presents many show stoppers before our careers are done. If Hurricane Katrina is to be any kind of learning experience for us, its that even the best laid plans are confronted with circumstances beyond the original scope. At some time we have to plan for the worst case scenario, and we have to hope that our plans will be enough to measure up.

A list of key Web sites are provided to the right. They can help you bullet proof the worst case scenario of your strategic plan, for yourself, your family and your business:

Take a moment to look at your 2005 Goals. Do you have goals that will ensure your intellectually property, assets, or knowledge base will live through a disaster or major change?

What's Inside:

>> Readiness: Are you prepared?
>> Business Continuity Planning
>> Quote, Website, Webcast
>> What's your backup?
>> Why we are here

Quote of the Month:

"We only carry to our graves the inner integrity of our efforts."

Jim Collins
Author, "Built to Last"

Website of the Month:
Disaster Preparedness
The SBA has provided a set of resources for businesses preparing and recovering from disasters. (Scroll down to access preparedness info.)

Other good resources:
The US Dept. of Homeland Security
The American Red Cross
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Webcast:
Your 2006 Growth Strategy
Learn how a clear strategic direction is critical to reaching your growth goals. We'll share best practices and tips to make 2006 your best year yet!

DATE: Thursday, September 29, 2005
TIME: 9am Pacific / 10am Mountain/ 11pm Central / 12pm Eastern for a half-hour.
COST: Complimentary
REGISTER: Please join by replying to this email. You will receive the link and login information next week. Space is limited to 20 participants.

What's your backup:
Do you have a quick tip or best practice you use ensure continuity in your business? Email me your tip and we'll include it in next month's StrategyCheck!

Why We're Here
We're here to help you grow your business. That's why we exist. It might be under the guise of software subscriptions and books, but we never forget the reason you buy our products is that you want to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and vision execution of your business.

We'd love to know how you are doing and if we are helping you in your business strategy and organizational growth. We'd like to hear about your successes and hard lessons learned. Drop us a line if you get a chance.