18 Dec Five Planning Choices Smart Entrepreneurs Are Making Right Now

by Kalika Yap

One thing I know about entrepreneurs is this: you’re always thinking ahead, even when you’re buried in the day to day.

That’s why I often pay attention to research coming from Vistage.

If you’re not familiar, Vistage is a peer advisory organization made up of CEOs, founders, and senior leaders. Members meet in small, confidential groups to talk through real business challenges with people who understand what it’s like to be responsible for a company, a team, and a vision. Their insights come straight from leaders who are actively running businesses, not from theory.

I recently read a Vistage article that explored five planning choices smart entrepreneurs are making right now, and it stayed with me because it was practical, grounded, and honest.

The big takeaway?

The leaders who feel most clear right now aren’t trying to do more. They’re choosing more carefully.

Here’s what that looks like.

Five Planning Choices Smart Entrepreneurs Are Making Right Now

1. They step back before they plan forward

Instead of jumping straight into goals and budgets, they pause. They look beyond the next quarter and ask where the business is really headed. This bigger view helps them make decisions that still make sense a year or two from now.

2. They evaluate trends with intention

Yes, things like AI, new tools, and changing work styles matter. But smart entrepreneurs ask why before they act. How does this help our customers? How does this support our team? If it doesn’t serve a clear purpose, they skip it.

3. They repeat the mission until it sticks

In busy businesses, alignment fades fast. Leaders who plan well bring their mission into conversations again and again, especially with distributed teams. Everyone knows not just what they’re doing, but why.

4. They protect their time and resources

One of the smartest planning choices entrepreneurs are making right now is saying no. Before committing money, energy, or leadership attention, they ask whether it truly supports the direction of the business.

5. They focus on fewer measures of success

Instead of tracking everything, they choose one or two indicators that truly show progress. This creates better conversations and clearer decisions throughout the year.

A Simple Step by Step Planning Guide

If you want to put this into practice, here’s a straightforward way to start:

Step 1: Set aside time this week to reflect on your longer term direction.

Step 2: Identify three trends affecting your business and write down why they matter to you.

Step 3: Rewrite your mission in plain language your whole team would understand.

Step 4: Review your top initiatives and remove anything that doesn’t support your direction.

Step 5: Choose one metric that tells you if your plan is working.

This is how strategy becomes something you actually use, not something that lives in a document.

If you’d like support thinking this through, I’m opening discovery calls for entrepreneur coaching.

You can schedule time with me here: https://calendly.com/Kalika