Many of us start a business with a clear vision, but before long, we’re buried in work that doesn’t seem to get us any closer to where we want to be. The urgent overtakes the important, and we spend our days chipping away at tasks that keep things running but don’t actually move the business forward.
A business roadmap is a way to step back and make sure we’re spending time on what actually matters. It’s not about cramming more into the day or perfecting every little system. It’s about stripping away what isn’t essential, making decisions with intention, and aligning daily work with long-term goals.
Here’s how to build a roadmap that actually works.
1. Start with Your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)
The term BHAG was first introduced by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their 1994 book Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. They studied long-lasting, successful companies and found that those with a clear, compelling long-term vision outperformed those without one.
A Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) is a long-term, ambitious goal that serves as a guiding vision for your business. It’s bold, clear, and designed to inspire action and focus. Unlike short-term objectives, a BHAG is something that might take 10–25 years to achieve and forces you to think beyond incremental progress.
A well-defined BHAG should:
- Be ambitious – It’s not something you can accomplish in a year or two.
- Be clear and specific – It’s not vague like “grow the business” but tangible, like “become the the largest online community in my niche.”
- Align with your core purpose – It should feel exciting and meaningful, not just a numbers-driven target.
This goal is a filter. If something doesn’t contribute to it, it’s either a distraction or a waste of time. A good way to get clear on this: imagine your business in 10 years. What does success look like? What do you want it to feel like? Use this vision to shape everything else.
2. Work Backwards to Identify Key Milestones
A long-term goal is meaningless without a plan to get there. Break it down into steps:
5-Year Milestone
- What major things need to be in place to support your BHAG?
- Example: Build a recognizable brand, create scalable systems, establish consistent revenue streams.
1-Year Milestone
- What measurable progress can you make toward the 5-year goal?
- Example: Launch a flagship product, refine marketing strategy, onboard 20 high-value clients.
Next Quarter
- What can you work on right now that will support your 1-year milestone?
- Example: Set up an automated client onboarding system, improve website conversions, test a new revenue model, launch a new product.
Eliminate the Unnecessary
- Look at what’s currently on your plate. Ask: Does this get me closer to my BHAG?
- Let go of the things that don’t—underperforming social media channels, low-value partnerships, busywork done out of habit.
Instead of asking, What else can I do? ask, What can I stop doing?
3. Assign Deliverables and Estimate Time
Once milestones are clear, break them into specific tasks and decide who is responsible:
✔ Owner Tasks → High-value work only you can handle (e.g., strategy, networking, vision).
✔ Team/Contractor Tasks → Delegate work like social media, design, or admin.
✔ Automation Tasks → Set up systems to handle repetitive processes (e.g., follow-ups, reporting).
Entrepreneurs tend to overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year. Be honest about how long things take.
Example:
- Writing a blog post → 2 hours
- Setting up an automation → 5 hours
If something isn’t scheduled, it won’t get done. Treat your tasks like meetings with yourself—block time in your calendar and stick to it. I find that the strict use of my calendar as a to do list, combined with a realistic expectation of how many hours per day I can concentrate on cognitive work is the right formula for getting things done and avoiding burnout. It’s better to under-schedule yourself and beat your goals for the week, than to over schedule and fall short. The latter will lead to stress, overwhelm and self doubt.
4. Schedule Key Deliverables
A roadmap only works if you actually follow it. Break things down into weekly deliverables and set aside time to execute them.
- Use time-blocking to dedicate focused time for high-priority work.
- Silence notifications, batch admin tasks, and create space for deep work.
- Example: Block two hours in the morning for refining your client onboarding process.
Your calendar should be the backbone of your business, keeping things structured but flexible enough to adjust when needed.
5. Simplify and Streamline Your Roadmap
Most business owners use too many tools, overcomplicate their workflows, and spread themselves too thin. Instead, simplify:
- Reduce tool clutter—stick to essentials.
- Example: Notion for project tracking, Google Calendar for scheduling, Zapier for automation. Reducing the number of tools you use not only simplifies your work flow, but can save you money. Review your software subscriptions to ensure you aren’t paying for redundant tools or platforms.
- Regularly review your work—are you making progress, or just keeping busy? Make sure every action directly supports your bigger goal.
Your roadmap isn’t a rigid plan—it’s a framework. It should evolve as your business does.
6. Stay Focused on Meaningful Work
If you’re not careful, you can spend your whole day answering emails, managing projects, or posting on social media without actually making progress. The work that matters is often the hardest to prioritize because it requires real effort.
- Avoid multitasking. You’re not getting more done—you’re just doing everything worse. Do one thing at a time and do not be afraid to ignore your slack notifications for a few hours.
- Don’t waste too much time on vanity metrics—likes, followers, or engagement that don’t lead to sales. We’ve seen it over and over with our clients, a larger audience does not equate to larger revenue.
- Stay focused on work that moves you toward long-term growth. This means acquiring skills, creating positive brand associations, and building things that provide value to your market.
A business grows through intentional action, not by staying busy.
Recommended Tools and Resources
- Notion or Trello → For task tracking and milestones.
- Google Calendar → For scheduling and time-blocking.
- Zapier or Make → To automate repetitive processes.
- Resources for Further Insight:
- Deep Work by Cal Newport – Mastering focus.
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown – Eliminating non-essential tasks.
Final Thought: Define Your Next Milestone
A simple way to start: Write down your BHAG and identify one milestone that will get you closer to it.
BAIA helps small businesses simplify their systems, clarify their direction, and build sustainable growth. If you’re ready to align your work with your long-term vision, let’s talk.