Wherever you turn today business owners, leaders, social media channels, books, blogs and entrepreneurs talk about business models. It is a trendy term thrown around by so many and to such an extent that the power of a business model seems forgotten.

Things have been tough recently, we’ll make no bones about it, but if the answer to our title question is a resounding yes, or even just a maybe, this is an exciting time. And regardless of whether you’re a get-it-all-down-in-Excel person, or are happy just to jot things on a piece of paper, your mind is no doubt buzzing with all sorts of ideas and questions.

Strategy can be a scary word for a small business. However, having a clear strategy for the direction of your business can help you make clear decisions about where you want your business to be.

Many business owners only start to think about the true value of their business as they approach retirement and begin to explore the possibilities of selling their company. But what they tend to find out is that the things that add value to the business are the very things that help grow a business successfully.

When I first went self-employed, some eight and a half years ago now, one of the pitfalls I hadn’t planned for was how to make effective decisions.