Your Path to Business Success: The Blueprint

 At my core, I believe running a successful business is one of the most satisfying professional actions a person can take. Hobbies are great. They are fun pastimes, can help you meet other people, and craft solutions for problems at a small scale. The only problem with hobbies is that they tend not to pay the bills, which is why we all need a job.  Having a job is work. You can earn an income, be part of an organization, and acquire new skills. However, the problem with employment is that jobs frequently require you to do work that does not align with your strengths. You do not have much power or control over how they operate, who they serve, or the organization's values, norms, or practices. This misalignment can grow into frustration, annoyance, and burnout. The solution for some is self-employment.

Building a business from scratch is the one time when you have total power within an organization. You get to decide who you will serve, how you will serve them, and who you will work with. Yes, others get a vote. You will not be successful if you develop a solution no one needs, provide poor service, or treat those you work with poorly, but all those decisions are within your control. The remainder of this article provides a blueprint for small business owners to design a business that meets financial, lifestyle, and personal fulfillment goals.

The Blueprint for Reducing Small Business Risk

Nine out of 10 small business owners fail the first time they launch a business. The top three reasons businesses fail are lack of capital, knowledge, and poor business model design. The incredible thing about this statistic is that when they launch a second business, 90% of them are successful. They are successful because they learn from their mistakes, gain wisdom, and do a better job the second time. Wisdom is the key to business success.

There is only one way to gain wisdom: to seek knowledge. Knowledge can be gained through personal experience or from the experience of others. You do not have to be bitten by a snake to know it is dangerous. You were taught snakes are dangerous as a child, and you use that knowledge to make wise decisions when encountering snakes. The same is true within business. Knowing the risks and dangers of running a small business can provide a blueprint for making wiser business decisions.

Learning from Others

Over the last 20 years, I have acquired business knowledge. Some of it has come from books I read while studying business and economics at Randolph-Macon College. More was learned from professors as I acquired my MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus. But most of my wisdom has come from reading over 60 business books and 1000 business articles, completing over 500 hours of workshops, and applying that knowledge towards a +20-year business career.  

I have been everything from a sales associate, store manager, marketer, vice president, and now a small business owner, executive coach, and business consultant. I have the metaphorical scars from every significant mistake I have made over my career, and they are the source of the wisdom I share in my writings, coaching, and consulting. One of the benefits of being an executive coach and small business consultant who works across industries is that I get to see how universal most business challenges are. I can take what I learn from one business or industry and apply it to another.

Build your Learning Plan

Over the last 15 weeks, I have provided visibility to some of the knowledge I have gained throughout my professional career. As I have written each word, I have become more aware of the complexity and simplicity of running a business.  If you are a small business owner seeking more knowledge and wisdom for running your business, review the 15 topics below. Each covers a different lesson that can help you run your business better.

Read the article that answers a current problem you are looking to solve and know that each topic is interconnected. Each business management skill or practice I share is maximized when combined with other skills. After reading the articles, if you need additional help applying what you learned, reach out. My mission as a coach is to help you acquire and apply the knowledge you need to be successful.

Crafting and Communicating Your Vision

Getting Your Vision On Paper

Communicating Your Vision

Determining if Your Vision is Viable

Three Fundamentals of Business: Service, Scale, Strategy

Generating Revenue

Converting Vision to Strategy

Setting Goals

Refining Your Product and Service Offerings

Finding Your Niche

Building a High-Performance Team

Building Trust with Your Team

Getting Your Team to Work Together

Attracting and Developing Talent

Reducing Team Conflict

Must have Business Tools

Balanced Scorecard

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

 If you have read this far, thank you for taking the time to review this blog. Running a small business is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can do. If you would benefit from having additional support and guidance running your small business, please feel free to email Executive Coach Dorian Cunion at dcunion@yourpathexecutivesolutions.com or book a session to learn more about our services.

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Stop Fixing, Start Empowering: The Benefits of a Coaching Approach to Leadership

In the traditional view of management, the leader is often seen as the "Chief Problem Solver." When a team member encounters an obstacle, they bring it to the leader, who provides a solution. While this might feel efficient in the moment, it creates a dependency loop that drains the leader's energy and stifles the employee's growth.

There is a more sustainable way: The Coaching Approach.

Adopting a coaching mindset isn’t about becoming a therapist or stepping away from performance goals. It is about shifting the focus from giving answers to asking questions. By doing so, you move from directing behavior to developing potential—a core tenet of what we believe at Your Path Coaching and Consulting.

The Coaching Approach: The 7 Essential Questions

One of the most practical guides for this transition is Michael Bungay Stanier’s book, The Coaching Habit. Stanier argues that you don't need a complex theoretical background to coach effectively; you just need a few robust questions to open the door.

Here are the seven questions Stanier recommends to break the cycle of advice-giving and start uncovering real issues:

1. The Kickstart Question: "What's on your mind?"

   • This breaks the ice and gives the employee the autonomy to choose the starting point.

2. The AWE Question: "And what else?"

   • The first answer is rarely the only answer. This keeps the flow going and digs deeper.

3. The Focus Question: "What's the real challenge here for you?"

   • This stops the conversation from spinning into abstractions and pins down the specific hurdle the individual is facing.

4. The Foundation Question: "What do you want?"

   • This clarifies the desired outcome and helps the employee visualize success.

5. The Lazy Question: "How can I help?"

   • Instead of jumping in to "save" them, this forces the employee to make a clear, specific request for support.

6. The Strategic Question: "If you are saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?"

   • This introduces the reality of constraints. It forces a conversation about prioritization and protecting one’s time and energy.

7. The Learning Question: "What was most useful for you?"

   • This reinforces the value of the interaction and helps embed the learning.

Making the Questions Your Own

While these seven questions are a fantastic scaffold, they are not a script to be recited robotically. The true magic happens when you internalize the intent behind the questions and adapt them to your natural voice.

The goal is not to memorize a checklist, but to facilitate a thought process that empowers your team. When you use these questions authentically, you guide your employees through five critical stages of problem-solving:

1. Articulating the Current Situation

By asking "What's on your mind?" and "What else?", you allow the employee to lay out the landscape. You are giving them the space to declutter their thoughts and identify what is actually happening, rather than assuming you already know.

2. Identifying the Biggest Challenge

Often, employees are overwhelmed by symptoms rather than the root cause. The question "What is the real challenge here for you?" helps them cut through the noise. It empowers them to name the specific obstacle standing in their way, which is the first step toward removing it.

3. Clarifying the Goal

"What do you want?" seems simple, but it is often the hardest question to answer. By asking this, you help the employee pivot from complaining about the problem to envisioning the solution.

4. Defining the Help Needed

Leaders often burnout because they assume they need to do the heavy lifting. Asking "How can I help?" puts the onus on the employee to define exactly what resources or support they need. Often, you will find they need much less from you than you thought—perhaps just a sounding board or a quick approval.

5. Protecting Time and Energy

Strategy is as much about what you don't do as what you do. The question "If you are saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?" teaches your team to think economically about their energy. It empowers them to set boundaries and ensures that their new goal is realistic and sustainable.

Leading vs Fixing

When you stop rushing to fix problems and start asking questions, you do more than just solve the immediate issue. You build a team that is more resilient, self-sufficient, and engaged. You help them clear their own path, allowing you to focus on the bigger picture.

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If you enjoyed this article, consider checking out the Coaching Gold Podcast. This podcast highlights the benefits of working with a certified coach.

https://youtu.be/EmM3DCswH1Q?si=yldFU9TfQMmdw9s2

Building Your Plan to Win an RVA Pitch Competition

One of the greatest hurdles for small business owners is a lack of capital. This scarcity doesn't just limit your growth—it ripples through every part of your life. It makes it harder to provide top-tier customer service or market your brand effectively. Perhaps more importantly, it creates a persistent "survival mode" of stress and anxiety that prevents you from taking the bold actions required to scale.

Whether you are seeking a bank loan, family investment, or a grant from a local pitch competition, clarity is your most valuable asset. You must be able to articulate your vision, identify your gaps, and communicate—concisely—how your business makes the world better.

This April, BizWorks is hosting a Power Pitch competition. This is a premier opportunity among several funding events scheduled to hit Richmond in early 2026. If you’re ready to compete, the work begins now.

The $100 Blueprint: 3 Workshops to Prepare You for a Pitch Competition

You don’t need a massive budget to prepare; you need a strategic one. Here is a three-step path to getting pitch-ready for under $100.

1. Clarify Your Vision

Judges want to see exactly where your business stands today and where it is headed tomorrow. They need to believe in your "why" before they invest in your "how."

To sharpen this focus, join Your Path Counseling Center for our 2026 Vision Board Workshop. During this workshop, Ederis Martinez-Cunion, MS, LPC will guide you to reflect on 2025, envision 2026, and craft a vision board that you can use to help clarify and communicate what you are building towards.

• When: Jan 8th at 5:00 PM or Jan 9th at 1:00 PM.

• Where: Virtual

  
  

2. Quantify Your Goals

Vision inspires, but numbers build trust. In a pitch, you must communicate the scope of your impact through data. How do you generate revenue now, and how will that evolve?

The Henrico EDA is hosting a Goal Setting Workshop at the Fairfield Area Library. Led by Dorian Cunion, this free session introduces the "Balanced Scorecard" framework. This tool helps you explain how your internal processes and team culture directly drive financial growth—a key metric for any judge.

• When: Jan 13th at 6:00 PM.

• Where: Fairfield Library 1401 N. Laburnum Avenue Henrico, VA 23223

  
  

3. Refine Your Delivery

Once you have the vision and the data, you must package them. On January 22nd, BizWorks will host the Develop a Winning Pitch in 2 Hours workshop at Virginia Asset Management. Dorian Cunion will walk you through tailoring your message so it is clear, compelling, and impossible to ignore.

• When: Jan 22nd at 2 PM.

• Where: Virginia Asset Management 130 Wylderose Drive, Midlothian, VA 23113

  
  

Why will these pitch prep workshops help?

We don’t just teach theory; we understand what happens behind the judge’s table. Over the last three years, we have coached more than 10 businesses to secure over $100,000 in grant and pitch winnings.

We leverage Dorian’s experience as a pitch competition judge to inform our consulting. Whether you are a food truck owner, a salon founder, or a bookkeeper, we help you bridge the gap between "having a great business" and "being a great investment."

The Power of Perspective

The biggest challenge for most founders is "tunnel vision"—being so close to the daily operations that you can’t see your business from an outsider’s view. These three workshops offer you:

• Strategic Space: Time to step away from the "doing" to focus on the "thinking."

• Community: An opportunity to collaborate with fellow RVA business owners who share your challenges.

• New Frameworks: Proven tools that build the confidence and competency required to win.

Conclusion

Time is your scarcest resource. This blueprint requires just six hours and $100. By completing these steps, you’ll enter the 2026 pitch season with a clear vision, a data-backed framework for success, and the communication skills to secure your funding.

Ready to start? Register for these events at the links below.

• Register: 2026 Vision Board Workshop

• Register: Henrico EDA Goal Setting Workshop

• Register: Develop A Winning Pitch in 2 Hours

Have questions about your pitch? Message Dorian Cunion at dcunion@yourpathexecutivesolutions.com.