How To Plan Your Next Project

Everyone has big dreams. Because we are entrepreneurs, there comes a point where we really want to see those dreams come true. Not only do we want to make those dreams a reality, we want to make them an achievable goal.

Getting from your starting idea to a final product takes more than defining your goal and staying committed to it - you also need a solid project plan.

In a recent episode of the Female Founded Podcast, Hannah sat down with Dani Sheriff to learn the most organized way to project plan. Here are her 4 essential steps:

Step 1: Brain-Dump

If you don’t know exactly where to begin, the easiest way to get started is to take every idea that you have floating around in your head, and jot it down. There is no rhyme or reason to this, just write down anything you can think of. This is where you can really DREAM BIG: what’s on your whole list?

Step 2: Prioritize What You Really Need To Execute

Take your whole, messy list of ideas and narrow it down to the “Must Haves.” Because it’s time to actually turn your idea into a reality, boil your list down to the essentials. All your other ideas become “Nice to Haves,” and these will be addressed later in the project planning process.

Step 3: Break Your “Must Haves” Into Timelines

All of your tasks will be much easier to handle if they are broken down into smaller checkpoints. To help with your organization, start with what will take the longest. Do you have to order anything from Amazon? What can you do while you’re waiting for your package to arrive? Your timeline will give you an overview of what to do and when to do it.

Step 4: Turn Your “Nice to Haves” Into Phase 2

The first phase of your project involved Steps 1-3. Use what you learned from prioritizing and organizing your necessary tasks to make adjustments when moving forward. Phase 2 is the time to expand on your ideas, try new things, and fine-tune based on feedback.

Following these steps will definitely get you off to a good start, but remember that true entrepreneurship is NOT a 4 step process. Your road to success is not a straight shot, and the messy first draft is a crucial part of the business experience.

In the podcast, Dani also emphasized iteration. As important as it is to have a good project plan, you don’t need to be perfect from the beginning. Continuous iteration can help you discern which ideas show promise, and which ones are not the most effective for your customer base. Be efficient and open to new ideas as you iterate and improve your project, and the business results will come.

If you’re interested in more of Dani’s project planning tips and tricks, click here to listen to her episode of the Female Founded Podcast!

P.S. Check out Dani’s Project Charter, a step-by-step system to help you plan your way to achieving your big dreams!