Welcome to the Inter Samurai Business Leadership series. In this video, you will learn a about the five stages of change during small business start up. The five stages of change for Small Business Owners by Dr. Susan L. Reed, Small Business Start-up expert and business catalyst and award winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai. The entrepreneurial woman’s journey to business success – find out more at Alchemy.com.
Change is a tricky thing, some of us like change, some of us don’t. If you are contemplating starting up a business, you will enjoy and learning about the five stages of change. So you can see where you are and where you are going. We will use the trans theoretical model of change that Dr. James Protchaska and Carlo D. Clemente developed in 1982 as our guide.
Here are the five stages, stage one the pre-contemplation stage. This is the pre-start up stage where there is no reason for you to quit your job or change what you are doing. You know you are in the pre-contemplation stage if you are not really thinking about starting up a small business. And you are basically okay with how things are, this stage’s motto is “Ignorance is Bliss.” People in this stage aren’t ready to take action, stage two “the contemplation stage.”
In the contemplation stage you are actually thinking about starting up a business. However you are still feeling ambivalent about making the necessarily changes and have no clear plan of action. You know you are in the contemplation stage if you find yourself doing research and thinking about what it would be like to be a small business owner. And you are seeking out the perspective of others, who have been there and done that and consider their advice.
This stage’s motto is Let’s just wait and see what happens. Folks in this stage are considering taking action within the next six months. Stage three the Preparation Stage, there is lot of activity, decisions being made and action taking place. As you prepare to start-up your small business, this is the time when many people hire a business coach. You know you are in the preparation stage if your small business start-up coach has become your best friend. And you are looking at every aspect of small business ownership, this stage’s motto is I think I can.
People in this stage are intending to take action within the next month. Stage four the Action stage, this stage is characterized by a considerable amount of steady, forward movement. All the planning you did in the previous stage is now being put into action, excitement is high. This is the time when you launch your business, how do you know if you are in the action stage? You are in full-out action mode, you are spending of you day focused on your new small business and loving it.
And you are committed to seeing your actions through. The motto for this stage is Carpe diem; people in this stage are taking action. Stage five the Maintenance stage, continue to commitment to sustaining the forward movement of their small business success is the hallmark of this stage. How do you know if you are in the maintenance stage? Your business is running smoothly, you are cycling back through the stages of change to expand the growth of your small business.
And you are actively looking for new opportunities for change and growth. This stage’s motto is Bring it on, folks in this stage are riding the wave of continuing momentum and loving it. Are you wondering if you want to become a small business owner? Find where you are in the change continuum and let go of the if. When you do, you will become a powerful and effective agent for change, what is more – you will learn that change well life altering can be a life of affirming and life enhancing. Embrace change, you will be glad you did.
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