Going from Ideation to Project Launch
As a business owner, I know how challenging it can be to navigate the ups and downs of running a business. From managing clients to staying up-to-date with industry trends and regulations, it can feel like there's always something that needs my attention.
Then there’s the accounting, tax, chasing up unpaid invoices and making sure I have clients on a running basis. But not only having paying clients, it’s important to find clients that I work well with, and who I believe in.
As a business owner, it is important for me to hold myself accountable for the work I’m doing, to clarify my goals, develop a plan of action to achieve them, and stay on-track with my many commitments. Even though I have a a stable of lovely clients, I need to make sure I’m giving my best at all times and building up my business at the same time.
What does that look like?
Every day I go through my mind maps and eliminate the things I’m working on that are not necessarily helping me to achieve my goals, or are causing unnecessary stress. It’s not full proof, but after working for companies where I felt under appreciated, underpaid and the working environments were toxic (at least to me), I have figured out a working structure that I try my best to adhere to.
My mind works a mile a minute and I need to be super careful with what I’m working on or with whom I’m working with. If the project I am working on, either for my business development, or for finding new income streams, isn’t working, I add it to my graded list of projects. The grading goes along the lines of: Needs too much work to get it off the ground, love this, but is it bringing me joy?
If it’s something I truly love and want to work with, I make a concerted effort to figure out a strategy to get it off the ground. At any given time, I have several projects that I’m working on. By niching down and focusing on a set of three main projects, it has enabled me to move beyond the ideation phase and into the monetisation phase.
Here are some of the ways I have found that have helped me move through the phases.
List all the things that bring you joy and categorise them.
Does the project fit into one of the categories? If yes, I look at how I can move it from ideation to monetisation. If no, I add it to my ideation backlog and think some more about why I came up with the idea in the first place and the reasoning behind it. Later on, I revisit the idea and see if anything has changed.
Once I move beyond ideation, I look at who the target market might be for the project. There’s no sense building it out if there is no market for it. Researching the target market to make sure there is a need, should be one of the first things you do, after the ideation phase. Sure, some people think that you can build it and customers will come, but in my experience, you need to find your customers first, connect with them, create a bit of excitement around the project and then start building once there is interest.
As part of the research, I create a document, like a mini business plan, or scope of work for the project, the same that I create for any client work I might be interested in working with. This is where I need to put my money where my mouth is. If I feel it’s too much effort to move into this phase with the project, the project gets shelved until I feel ready to move on with it. The methods might sound harsh, but when you’re someone like me who generates ten different business or project ideas in a day, you need to be ruthless with what you’re spending your time on.
If the project moves to the next stage, I get other people’s opinions on it and start sowing the seeds within my network. Surprisingly, this is where I find other people to work on the project with. At times, people reach out to me as well, with projects they want to work on me with. Sometimes it turns into an amazing partnership, other times, I have to say no, because it could be me doing all the work, but not getting paid what I’m worth, or I don’t synthesise with the people running the project. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m done working for or with people that don’t fall into my way of working.
Once I’ve created a framework for the project and garnered some interest, I start creating an MVP. This is usually in the form of a website, it is my background after all, branding and set up the social channels. This step is critical in determining if the project should go ahead or not. The market is tough out there and if it doesn’t get off the ground in this stage, then I’ve miscalculated the project. At this stage, if I need to, I nip the project in the bud and move on. Maybe later on the market, or maybe I, might change and the project can be given life again.
Sometimes I have found that the projects are working well, but not moving at the speed I need them to. if that is the case, I often put it down for a hot minute and focus on the projects that are bringing in income. Again, this might sound harsh, but having income enables me to work on the passion projects and with clients who are amazing. Don’t be afraid of taking on client work, it can lead to unseen opportunities for your personal and business growth.
To reiterate, find or create projects that you are passionate about and where you connect on a deeper level with the people. Life is too short to work every day with people who bring you down.
Goal setting
As part of my project evaluation and assessment, I take a look at my goal setting framework. It’s a loose plan that I use to help me define my life and business goals to ensure I’m on-track and working towards what brings me joy.
Start with self-reflection: Take some time to reflect on your values, passions, interests, strengths, weaknesses, and life experiences. This could involve journaling, meditating, or talking with a trusted friend or mentor. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and what drives you.
Identify short-term and long-term goals: Break down your goals into smaller, more manageable steps. Short-term goals are things that can be accomplished within a few weeks or months, while long-term goals are those that may take years to achieve. Focus on setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals.
Explore different paths: Identify different paths that align with your interests and values. This could involve researching different business ideas, volunteering in your community, or trying out new hobbies or activities. The goal is to help you discover what excites you and what you feel passionate about.
Seek guidance: Seek guidance from mentors, coaches, or counselors who can provide advice and support. This could involve attending workshops or seeking out professional development opportunities to help you learn new skills and gain new perspectives.
Stay flexible: Life goals may change over time, and that it's okay to adjust your plans as you grow and evolve. Stay open to new opportunities and be willing to take risks to pursue your dreams.
Stay accountable: Hold yourself accountable by setting deadlines and regularly checking in on your progress. This could involve tracking your goals in a journal or using an app to monitor progress.
By following this plan, it has helped me gain a better understanding of myself, identify my life goals, and take steps towards achieving them. Along with goal setting, I have to set time aside for self reflection every week. This often takes place when I shut down my laptop and ignore my phone, either at home, or when I take an afternoon to get out and about with the end-goal being to pause, reflect and just be.
Life is often chaotic, something I will admit that I like, but by going through projects from ideation, to launch with the above steps and goal setting process in mind, it has enabled me to cut away any distractions and focus on improving my business and enjoying it at the same time.
want to know more about how I evaluate projects, ideate or have a project you might want me involved in? Get in contact and let’s continue the conversation.
