Running a business comes with a sometimes overwhelming set of obligations and responsibilities. Yet, it can be a wonderful and rewarding experience if you go into it prepared. Part of that is understanding and having the right tools to help you succeed. 

1. A Solid Business Plan

Most small businesses that fail do so because they fail to plan. A business plan is basically an outline of how your business will be structured, who is involved, what you aim to do and how you plan to go about doing that. In addition to being a useful way to share your ideas with potential stakeholders, it is a working tool that should be referred back to over time.  While every business plan will be a little different, they should all have a core set of components, including:

• Business structure and organization
• Statement of mission and vision
• Market segment and research
• Details