After you complete you business plan, you're in a position to transform what you've learned into action. Take decisive action to seize opportunities and overcome challenges you've identified. Too dependent on a single supplier? It's time to find another. A new customer moved into the neighbourhood? It's time to knock on their door.

• Share your business plan with people you trust - your banker, colleagues in the industry, your advisors, your family. What questions do they have? Do they have suggestions about how you can improve your plan?
  
  
• Use the findings from your Cash Flow Projections to get cash in hand before you need it. The earlier you address financing needs, the better positioned you'll be to achieve your goals. Will you put more money in the business, seek outside investors, or apply for a loan? Talk to your banker about financing options.
  
  
• Measure your progress on a monthly basis. Your business plan is really a benchmarking tool - it's a way for you to see whether your company is meeting your expectations. How does your actual performance compare to your projected Income Statements and your Cash Flow Projections? Are you on track to meet your Business Objectives? Are you staying true to your Personal Goals? 
  
  
• Use your business plan to communicate with suppliers, advisors, professionals, and employees. The better people understand your business, the better they'll be able to work with you. Your plan will also convey your business vision to partners, investors and bankers. 
  
  
• Review your business plan at least once a year, and consider revising it whenever significant changes occur in your personal life, inside your business, in the marketplace, or in the economy.
  
  
• Be sure to discuss changes in your plan with key advisors, such as your banker and accountant.