When you go on a trip, you usually pull out a map or use GPS to make sure you get where you want to go relatively easily. You don’t set out with no idea where you’re going or how you’re going to get there.

The same should be done when starting a business. Make a plan, starting at the end. To make the plan, ask yourself the following 7 questions:

1. Who are you?

This question really has two parts; one, who are you personally and two, who is your business? How you want the public (and customers) to see you as a business is important, as it can inform how you proceed with every aspect of your business.

2. What do you offer?

It is true that you offer something that can easily be called, xyz service or xyz product, but what you really need to answer is what solutions you are providing. Is it freedom? It’s time? It’s something more? If you can answer that, you’ll be able to move your business forward faster.

3. Who is your customer?

Customer identification is an important part of owning and running a successful business. It also doesn’t end once you find out who your client is, because you’ll have to keep studying them over time. Try creating a customer avatar so you can see it and know exactly who you’re doing it for.

4. What differentiates your offer?

Usually someone else is offering something like yours or similar. But, there is always something that makes yours stand out from the rest. What is that thing? How can you emphasize what makes yours better, different, or special?

5. How will you deliver it?

It is important to know the means by which you will get your product or service to your audience. Without knowing that, it will be difficult to succeed in your business. Make these plans in advance.

6. How many do you need to deliver to be successful?

One thing many business owners forget to do is calculate how many widgets they need to sell (or hours if you’re in a service business) to break even and then how many to be successful. When you know this answer, you can break it down into how many you need to sell per day. That then helps inform the rest of your plans.

7. What is your timeline for profitability and success?

Once you know all the other information, it will be easier to determine how long it will take you to be successful. With that information, you can start from the date you want to show your first dollar profit, going back and entering the actions you need to take every year, month, week, day, and even, if you want, time of day.