Writing a business plan + Vegan gluten free oatmeal trailmix cookies!

 Have you ever written a business plan?If not, have you ever written an essay on something you don’t have all the research on yet, and it needs to be done in 8 hours?Take that feeling, and the subsequent feelings that come along with it: feeling ravenous on a full stomach, the incessant and irrational need to shove chocolate down your throat when your head is already pounding from the sugar you already ate, feeling so antsy that you want to get up and walk around every other minute, your mind drifting off and following the random thoughts that float into your brain – you get the picture.Keep that picture in your head, and insert my face. That has been me for the last 7 days. I knew writing a business plan wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t think it would evoke such emotion in me, and cause me to have moments of insecurities I wished and thought were behind me.

Ugh!

After having a few meltdowns, and spewing out verbal diarrhea to anyone who would listen (those poor, non assuming people who, bless them, innocently asked how I was doing and how the plan was coming along), I have come away with some wisdom: I’m not alone.

Come again?

After a few heart to heart chats with some entrepreneurs I admire wholeheartedly, I learned that everyone (or at least, many people) reaches the point in their business plans that I did last week: being utterly discouraged, questioning their original ideas, and being lost as to what direction to continue in, ultimately causing them to walk away from the plan for a minute (or a few days). Contrary to the powerful inner dialogue I was having with myself, this road block in fact makes you stronger, and lends to the business’ success once it is funded, up and running. Best to run into this road block now, and answer these tough questions now, before any bricks and mortar and funds have been acquired.

For those of you who have been reading my blog from the beginning, you know how much I hate (definition: am terrified to) to write about my fears, insecurities, and negative thoughts. That said, if being vulnerable and honest about my experience in writing this business plan can provide even one of you with the support and encouragement you need in any similar experience, than this vulnerability is worth it to me.

So there you have it! I’m feeling much better about the business plan this week, and as a result of last week, am much clearer, and if it’s even possible, even more excited about opening Delectable You!

And, as you might have guessed, those times that I walked away from the computer, I didn’t get very far – I went straight to the kitchen! I baked 108 cookies,  88 doughnuts, and 62 cake balls for, all vegan and gluten free, of course. And I ate them all.

Just kidding.

It was for a one year anniversary party 5 Point Yoga, a wonderful yoga studio in Malibu 🙂

I even tested a new recipe: vegan, gluten free oatmeal trail mix cookies (made with dried cranberry, dried cherry, raisin, sunflower seed and walnuts). Check out the recipe below 🙂