Do you like to be creative, try new things?

Are you building a new business or considering a new idea? Something that never existed before?

Feeling a bit timid and concerned about getting it just right?

The process of being creative is about solving problems. The process of solving problems involves trying new ideas, testing, and failure because nobody gets it right every time.

Experimentation is Part of the Creative Process

Whether you are inventing a new product, writing, or drawing a picture experimentation is part of the process. For example, when I am writing a book, my early drafts look nothing like the final version. Why? Because I learned something in the process and discovered a better way of expressing what I wanted to say.

The same thing happens in business. There is always a certain amount of experimentation and the more innovative and fresh your business concept the more experimentation you need to do before getting it right.

Business Planning is a Structured Approach to Experimentation

Writing a business plan may not seem as exciting as inventing or building a product, but you can experiment with the 'business rational' in your business plan that you cannot duplicate any other way. Plus you are experimenting on paper - not with time and money.

The process of writing a business plan should include some experimentation - putting your thoughts and ideas to paper and testing the viability of your idea. If you discover your idea is not financially viable you succeeded because now you know how not to do it. Your next step is to change some of the variables and try again. When you get stuck, change your context.

Change Your Context to Create New Ideas

Turn your ideas upside down by asking yourself a couple of questions:

• What happens if I turn this idea or concept upside down?


• What and where are the opportunities?


• What is missing?


• How have the surrounding circumstances changed?


• What have I have learned and how should that affect my approach?

The power in answering these questions lies in how your answers can alter your circumstances and context. When parts of your business plan do not work out all you might be missing is one piece of information - that makes all the difference in the world. To see it you have to remain open minded.

An Open Mind is an Open Heart

Creativity flourishes in a fun, open environment. Withold judgement of your ideas just play with your concept or product idea.

Avoid Excessive Experimentation

When it comes time to implement your idea in the business continue to monitor to make sure you are getting the results you need but be careful not to get caught up in an endless cycle of excessive experimentation. It could kill your business.

In my report titled "13 Stupid Tricks by Business Owners" I have documented the details of a studies from the US and Canadian governments on the reasons businesses fail.