A question came up this week regarding mission and vision statements when writing the business plan.  We so often get “stuck” on the little things…

One member had this great explaination to offer…

Your vision is what you want for the world.
Your mission is what you will do as a business toward that goal.

Example: Bill Gates
Vision: To see a computer in every home in the world.
Mission: To provide software programs that are consistent, easy to use, and are the standard in the industry.

Another said this:

My personal opinion is that you shouldn’t get too stuck on those two things. I think once you get further into your business plan, it might become more clear to you what your mission and vision are……write your business plan “in pencil”! You’ll go back to it often as you grow!

Our resident expert on Business Manuals chimes in with

A vision statement should allow anyone to understand your “ultimate goal” for your business – where you are headed.

An example of a vision statement is:

As pioneers of the new age of Virtual Assistants, it is hoped that someday soon people will be asking “Who is your Virtual Assistant?” as opposed to “What is a Virtual Assistant?” We hope to accomplish this by educating others through seminars and speaking engagements and by providing exemplary administrative services to our clients.

You can see in my book that I actually combine the two - this is because they often get very confused.

What are your thoughts on mission and vision statements and should you get caught up on them, or let them slide and come back to them?  We’d love to know!

Until next time…

Heather