The #1 request I get from prospects and clients is “I need a plan.”

A plan to get unstuck.

A plan to help me re-claim my life and have some semblance of balance.

A plan to get promoted and respected for the value I bring.

A plan to build my network so I can eventually start my own business.

A plan to enjoy work again.

Guess what? I NEVER had a plan to start my own business.

Being an entrepreneur had never been a dream of mine. I never intentionally made choices to lead me to this destination.

Yet I’m now certain that this is what I was meant to do with my life.

Furthermore, I know that all of my previous work experiences prepared me to get to this point.

It’s not that I don’t believe in planning because I do.

In my everyday life, I’m a huge planner with a daily To Do list. I’m also one of the least spontaneous people I know. 🙂

But a plan is really just some words written down on a piece of paper. Anyone can do that.

To really create something meaningful that will stick and be executable requires much deeper work.

Creating that kind of plan is not quick or easy.

It requires you to take a hard look at what’s working and what’s not.

It requires you to be honest about what’s holding you back and why you have certain fears.

It requires a self-awareness and openness to understand your talents and where you can best utilize them.

It requires you to make hard choices and sometimes let go of the “safe” option and take a risk.

This kind of plan is not a check-the-box activity.

It can be uncomfortable and bring up a lot of “stuff”…

“Stuff” many of us don’t really want to deal with.

And that can be hard.

Believe me, I know.

That’s why my digital coaching program is designed to culminate in a 90-day action plan and 6-month strategic plan AFTER I support you through some of that messy work around the “stuff”.

Once you put in the time to deal with the “stuff”, the planning part isn’t so hard.

Originally published at www.mosaicgrowth.com

Author(s)

  • Elena Lipson

    Principal and Founder, Mosaic Growth Partners

    My 20 years of consulting and coaching experience has afforded me an inside look at how different organizations operate and what it takes to succeed. I spent the majority of my career as a healthcare strategy and change management consultant, serving federal, commercial and non-profit clients and mentoring emerging companies. I've had the privilege of working with hundreds of companies in the digital health and life sciences industry, supporting projects on consumer and patient engagement; telehealth; health and wellness; caregiving and independent living; and innovations in gene therapy, medical devices, rare disease drug development and AI-driven digital therapeutics and diagnostics. In 2015, I founded Mosaic Growth Partners, a consulting and coaching firm based in Washington, D.C., to help my clients develop new solutions for growth. I support clients in the digital health and life sciences industry with strategic and operational planning, commercializing new products and services, and workshop facilitation. I also coach professional women to take control of their careers and build professional lives that are congruent with their personal aspirations and natural talents. For professional women, I offer digital, group and 1:1 executive coaching programs. Prior to founding Mosaic Growth Partners, I led AARP Services' business development efforts in health and caregiving. At AARP, I was responsible for securing strategic partnerships, developing new business models and serving as an innovation champion. In this role, I built deep market knowledge and a strong industry network by working with hundreds of emerging and established companies. I also spent nearly 10 years as a management consultant, primarily with Deloitte Consulting, where I led strategy, human capital and technology engagements for federal health clients and the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. I also led sales and capture strategy, teaming, strategic business development and client excellence for the Department of Defense Military Health System account. I'm a Project Management Professional and a certified Agile Scrum Master. I graduated with a Master of Public Policy from American University and a B.A. in Political Science with High Honors from the University of Michigan.