Most entrepreneurs first write their business plan and then develop their services or products. This causes them to generate and fulfill a marketing plan that requires them to swim upstream using the backstroke. To save the stress, consider placing the business plan on hold until first completing a few customer surveys. Okay, some of you are saying, "Catherine, how can you do a survey before you know who your market is?" Yes, this is one challenging double edge sword, that is, if you're mindset is set there.

Over the years, I've found that everyone I've worked with generally knew what he or she wanted to sell. I don't believe you are any different. This is the perfect place to start. You have a clean slate to write on. You might be at a place of seeing it in nonspecific terms with measurable doubts as well. That is okay, doubts will always be there, thus, allow them to be your friend instead of a foe. It