Strategic planning is critical to scalable and sustainable business success. Without a business strategy, employees across the organization lack a road map to guide them in their day to day activities, which can have severe consequences. Effective strategic planning has many benefits, including setting priorities , directing resources, improving operations, establishing shared goals, and defining success. Strategic planning is an exercise that requires leaders to make fundamental decisions about where the company is going and what initiatives are necessary to realize success, both now and in the future. I am an expert in strategic planning and management systems. I believe in balancing financial and non-financial measures when planning for the future. I also believe in focusing on the things that predict future performance, rather than just looking back once it is too late to affect the results. These beliefs are the premise of a strategic management tool called a Balanced Scorecard. The Balanced Scorecard has as its first step to create a clear and concise vision and strategy for the company. This should tell everyone where the company is going and how it is going to get there. Then, define the perspectives through which success should be viewed. Next, develop a few key objectives, or areas in which the organization must excel in order to succeed, within each perspective. Once the objectives are defined, decide how to measure success or failure. Finally, leaders must determine what initiatives will be launched to ensure success. The development of an effective business strategy is arguably the most critical of the success factors in any business. I can guide your organization to create a plan perfectly suited to position your company for success.