Here’s some food for thought. Is our current education system killing creativity for kids? Are we doing our society any justice by encouraging the focus on scientific and linguistic learning whilst down-playing the importance of class room creativity?

Here is an interesting presentation about this issue, and well worth the 19 minutes to watch. It is thought-provoking, funny and raises some serious questions about creativity and innovation, and the value we as a culture put on creativity.

Thanks to TED.com for the video and for allowing others to share it.

What are your thoughts?

If you want your business to succeed, you will need to write a business plan. Whether you have tried to write a plan before and failed, or have never tried before, the best way to prepare for this process is by starting a-fresh.

This website has been created to provide you with the information and resources you will need when writing your business plan and marketing strategies. As you go through the site be ready to capture the ideas that you will have when reading the content, watching the videos or using the business tools provided.

This section will cover a range of topics that will help you better understand your customer, your industry and how you might be able to sell your product or service to make a profit.

It is worth noting what you want your business to become – the end point – and where you are now. This will help you map out the process to move from now to the ideal place you want to be. There are also some pages around business goals and mission statements along with some exercises you can do to help with this.

When writing a business or marketing plan, you begin with finding out where the business is at and what you know. This is called a ‘Fact-Find’. It is important to note that if you do not have a business, writing a business plan is just as important, if not more, than if you did. If you are unsure of any of the answers during this process, ask yourself:

• “What would I …”, or
• “How many would it take …”

Try to imagine what it would be like when your business is up and running. Don’t let your present situation hold you back from what you want your business to achieve.

Fact-Find	Know Your Customer	Know Your Industry	Know Your Business
Begin with identifying the parts of your business you know and those you don’t. Read more	Knowing your customer unlocks the door to your future success. Read more	Get the facts about the industry you are operating in and where the growth is set to go. Read more	Understand the various parts of your business that impact on your bottom line. Read more
Putting the Plan together	Sample business plans
Put your business plan together and learn how to use it to build and grow your business. Read more	Sample business plans are a great way to start writing your own business and marketing plans. Read more

Every business, whether big or small, should consider purchasing business insurance to protect the interests of that business. Owners or managers of a well-run company must deal with many different issues every day. They must control inventory, hire employees, handle finances and attract customers. If something goes wrong in any of those areas or with some other aspect related to the business, there is potential for a loss of income, or possibly, a lawsuit being filed against the company. In order to guard against all possible contingencies, it is prudent to buy an adequate amount of business insurance.

One can buy business insurance to cover everything from employee theft to personal injury lawsuits. There are policies that will cover loss of business in the event of an outside event that causes you to have to temporarily shut down your operations. If a severe hurricane or flood strikes and your business must be closed until power is restored and the streets are made passable, business insurance can help compensate your company for the loss of revenue over the time period you are unable to operate. Policies do vary as to what circumstances are covered and to what degree they are covered. For further details on the different types of policies available, you can visit businessinsurance.org.

One specific situation that is quite common in most retail businesses is someone falling and injuring themselves while on your property. While not every slip and fall victim will pursue legal action, many will. Even if the case was no fault of the business, there are still legal costs and expenses that may be incurred while defending the business. Business insurance can help cover those out-of-pocket expenses.

Another situation might involve a disgruntled employee. You may be exposed to a lawsuit if an employee accuses the business of discrimination or unfair dismissal. An employee can also act negligently and do something that the business will be found liable for correcting. You just never know what can occur on any particular day.

It is relatively inexpensive to buy a business insurance policy. You will get protection and peace of mind. Consider this type of insurance as part of the cost of owning or operating a business.