By Kym Arnold & Ben Cobussen
November 2025

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

Many small business owners have fantastic ideas, but the daily grind often leaves little room to explore them. Research suggests only around 30% of business projects succeed – often due to unclear goals and lack of accountability.

A simple tool like a One Page Plan can help turn ideas into outcomes. It’s a structured framework that helps you clarify your current position (Now), define your goals (Where), and map out the steps to get there (How). It also includes strategies, actions, timing, and responsibilities – all on one page.

Getting Started: Before You Begin

Choose a project or idea that’s important to your business.
Set aside time to think strategically – ideally with key team members.
Be honest about current challenges and realistic about capacity.
Use the One Page Plan to guide your thinking and keep things simple.

Now – Where Are You Starting From?

Define the current state of your business.
Identify key issues or challenges – are you treating symptoms or root causes?
Gather input from staff, customers, or advisors for broader perspective.
Narrow down to 2–3 major challenges to address.

Where – What Does Success Look Like?

Choose a future point to aim for (e.g. 6 months, 1 year, 5 years).
Be specific: e.g. ‘Increase net profit by 5% in 12 months’ rather than ‘grow profits’.
Consider broader goals beyond the immediate project.
Set clear, measurable targets to align your team.

How – What Steps Will You Take?

Break the project into small, clear steps.
Assign responsibilities and deadlines for each step.
Ensure everyone understands their role.
Be flexible – review and adjust as needed.

Accountability Loops

One key step people often miss when implementing a new idea or project is building in accountability. Without regular check-ins, even the best plans can lose momentum. Establishing accountability loops means setting up scheduled project update meetings, where progress is reviewed, plans are adjusted, and responsibilities are reinforced. These sessions also create space to celebrate wins and reflect on lessons learned, helping to keep the team engaged and aligned.

Tip: Put your Now–Where–How plan on one page and display it prominently. It keeps goals visible and top of mind.

Downloadable Planning Tools

To help you get started, we’ve included:

A blank One Page Plan template you can download and use for your own projects.
An example One Page Plan to show how the framework works in practice.

These resources are designed to make it easier to turn your ideas into action.

Need Help Putting a Plan in Place?

Lincolns offers tailored business advisory services, including strategic planning. Call us on (08) 9841 1200 to turn your bright ideas into glowing successes without the 10,000 failed attempts.

**RED Grants Now Open for Great Southern Projects**

Round 8 of the Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants is now open for the Great Southern region, offering up to $250,000 per project to support regional growth, jobs, and innovation.

What it is
The Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants are a WA Government initiative that supports local projects driving economic growth, job creation, and regional diversification.

Key details

Up to $250,000 available per project (Round 8 – Great Southern region)
Co-contribution required: minimum 50% cash contribution from the applicant
Closes: 12 pm (AWST), Friday 9 January 2026
Delivered by: Great Southern Development Commission
More info: gsdc.wa.gov.au – RED Grants

Great Southern priority focus areas

Economic development, diversity & innovation – growing local enterprises, enabling new industries
Regional liveability – enhancing workforce attraction, amenity and community vibrancy
Climate resilience & low-carbon transition – supporting sustainable and new-energy projects
Aboriginal empowerment & prosperity – increasing participation and supporting Aboriginal-led business growth

These grants can deliver significant funding for regional projects, but they take significant time and effort to prepare. If you’re thinking of applying, now’s the time to start planning.

Turning Your Bright Ideas into Glowing Successes