More often than not, one idea gives birth to many more. Launching a new shirt, a new site, or anything that you claim as your own personal venture is likely to have that same affect. But more often than not, the many ideas that are thought up require resources that you don't have at present, money not yet earned, and goals yet to be achieved. I speak from personal experience when I say that there is nothing that causes more frustration than having a plethora of amazing ideas that you know will succeed, and no way to fulfill them. So, that being said, hopefully I can cover some points in this article that may lend some helpful advice to you designers with lines that want them to be the "next best thing". <h3> Plan for success, prepare to fail.</h3> More often than not, most companies will fail. In fact, most fail before they succeed. So with that point in mind, make a business plan that wont be crushed by the first failed attempt. By planning for success and preparing to fail, you essentially create a nice cushion for your company that ensures that your whole world wont come crashing down because you put all your hopes and dreams into a shirt that didn't sell as well as you thought it would. Make sure that you never risk more than your company can afford to lose. Play it smart, and you will weather the storms of that failed product and go onto make a best seller. <h3>Keep a notebook of Ideas, and set target dates for their implementation.</h3> One thing i did not do for my own business at first was keep a notebook of Ideas that I had. Everything was random. I would be at a diner with some friends, and think, "You know, this idea would make a cool necklace for my brand to carry." Then i would go home to design this grand idea I had, and I could not for the life of me remember what it was exactly. Now, that may just be youthful Alzheimer's, but it stands to reason that if I carry a small moleskin, or even just wrote it down on a napkin, that the idea could be preserved, and I would have it for a later date. So dont underestimate your brains willingness to forget something super important to you, and keep notes of your ideas. <h3> Understand that you wont be able to do everything at first</h3> This seems simple, but it is a hard pill to swallow when you want to do an idea bad enough. Just started your tee company, but now you want to get into denim's and other apparel? Well my friend, unless you have a bankroll, and investor, or a well established side job selling crack, that is gonna be tough to get off the ground. So understanding that, just bide your time, pay attention to the running of your business at present, and when you have the means, and it is no longer listed under the "Pipe Dreams" category of your notebook, go for it! All good things come to those that wait. So to, patience will be your roadway to success. <h3> Don't worry about what competitors are doing</h3> Its easy to look at your competition and think, "He is doing it, so why can't I?", but remember to take in various factors about this rival like, how long they have been in business, how many sales they generate, how many contacts they have made, and who else they know in the industry. When you stop to think about that, you will feel much better about your competitors and what they are capable of in comparison with your own situation. Johnny Cupcakes didn't start off making Snowtubes, he made shirts and sold them out of the back of his car. Now, he sells whatever the hell he wants to sell, but he had to earn his keep and wait for his business to reach that point. You can reach that same point in your business, just keep your head in the game, focus on what your company is doing, and everything will work out fine. Hopefully some of these were helpful, and I appreciate any comments, or other suggestions for this article, so have fun, run your business, break rules, Quest, <a href="http://theelegantscoundrel.com">The Elegant Scoundrel</a> 2009-02-08T21:06:15-05:00 An article highlighting some key points to pacing your business so that you come out on top. 254 Pace your business for Success 1822 1 2009-11-08T03:19:32-05:00 2822