FCB #029: Quarterly Planning: What It's So Important

Introduction

Those of you who know me well know how important planning has been to my success.

I'm a firm believer in the following strategic and tactial planning meeting rhythms -- both for one's business and personal life:

• Annual Review & Planning - Review your last year and plan out the next year and quarter.
• Quartely Review & Planning - Review your last quarter and plan out the next quarter and week.
• Weekly Review & Planning - Review your last week and plan out the next week.

I've had a lot going on this year with the sale and transition of my CRE appraisal business, starting up a new online business, and buying, financing, renovating, and moving into a new home and turning over our current home we've been leasing this last year since the sale of our home in Pasadena last year.

Below, I'm going to publicly share my 4Q2023 Quarterly Plan for two reasons. First, for accountability, which is always important. Second, to give you an idea of how I go about doing this.

As many of you know, I use a physical Legend Planner Pro Weekly planner as part of my project, task, and time management system. Anyway, here are my personal and business plans for 4Q2023.

Calvin's 3-Month Goals - Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2023

Goal #1 - Finish New Home Renovation

Why I Want It - So it will be nice when we move in.

Reward If Achieved - RV trip to the Southwest U.S.

Goal #1 Action Steps -

1. Interior and exterior paint
2. Bathrooms including tub/shower combo
3. New recessed ceiling lighting and fans throughout
4. Garage ceiling storage racks and epoxy flaked floor
5. Rear yard irrigation, lights, and jacuzzi fully operational

Goal #2 - Get Moved In and Fully Settled

Why I Want It - So we finally have our own place again we can call home.

Reward If Achieved - RV trip to the Southwest U.S.

Goal #2 Action Steps -

1. Get packed
2. Move home and garage
3. Get unpacked, fully
4. Clean rental and get ready to turn over
5. Turn over rental to landlords & get deposit back

Goal #3 - Get On Top of Accounting & Finance

Why I Want It - So I don't feel so behind on everything.

Reward If Achieved - RV trip to the Southwest U.S.

Goal #3 Action Steps -

1. Process & streamline emails and files
2. Process & systemize bills and receipts
3. Do address change for all bills and services
4. Cancel all unneeded services and subscriptions
5. Full set up Empower financial/budgeting software

Goal #4 - Start Building Signature Online Digital Course

Why I Want It - To help fund RV and retirement.

Reward If Achieved - RV trip to the Southwest U.S.

Goal #4 Action Steps -

1. Start going through Amy Porterfield's DCA course
2. Brainstorm and outline course
3. Brainstorm and start building course resources
4. Start creating webinar PowerPoint presentations
5. Start writing out course modules

Goal #5 - Start Building Up Email List

Why I Want It - For successful course marketing.

Reward If Achieved - RV trip to the Southwest U.S.

Goal #5 Action Steps -

1. Start going through Amy Porterfield's LBS course
2. Start going through Matt Gray's Newsletter OS course
3. Retrieve lost Outlook contacts
4. Go through business cards for prospects
5. Reach out to business contacts to sign up for newsletter

Conclusion

I have been writing down my personal and business vision and goals, and doing regular planning around them for most of my adult life. I have had various degress of success in life:

• Survived a very traumatic childhood experience
• Became licensed residential real estate salesman and broker
• Earned college BS degree (business admin with double finance/R.E. major)
• Top appraisal producer at Cushman & Wakefield, Los Angeles
• Vice President at CBRE Group, Los Angeles
• Helped grow LoopNet so it could be sold to CoStar for $860M
• Cofounded and helped grow Valbridge Property Advisors nationally
• Launched, successful scaled and sold my own CRE appraisal company

I attribute all of these to: (1) God's grace and provision in my life, (2) regular recurring strategic planning meeting rhythms, and (3) accountability through ongoing relationships with business coaches/coaching programs and personal therapy and recovery work.

If you do some sort of personal and/or business strategic planning and associated meeting rhythms that have helped contribute to your own success, please share in the comments below.

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