A six-week action plan is one page that tells you what to do each week to move your goals forward. Doin.ca builds it with you from the plan you already have, then keeps it alive through weekly check-ins. It's the starting point for most of our coaching.
What the action plan is
The action plan is a short list of commitments, not a strategy. Strategy answers "where are we going?" The action plan answers "what am I doing about it before Friday?"
Each line on the page has four parts:
| Part | Example |
|---|---|
| The commitment | Call back the last 20 customers who got a quote and didn't book |
| The week it's due | Week 2 |
| What "done" looks like | 20 calls made, outcomes noted in one place |
| What makes room for it | No new quoting on Tuesday morning |
That last column is the one most plans skip. If nothing moves out of your week, the commitment won't move in. We insist on it.
Who it's for
The action plan suits owners who already know their goals but can't turn them into a week. Typical situations we see:
- a business plan written for a bank or a grant, which has never guided a single Monday;
- a list from a strategy day that ran out of steam within a month;
- a new year, a new season or a new partner, and a feeling that "this time it needs to stick".
It's less useful if you genuinely don't know what you're trying to achieve. In that case, a strategy conversation through our parent practice at BusinessConsulting.ca comes first.
What's included
The work is deliberately small. You get:
- A goals sort. We list everything you've said you want this year, then choose three for the next six weeks. The rest go on a "not now" list so they stop nagging.
- Commitment writing. Each goal becomes two to five dated commitments, each sized to fit inside a normal week.
- A room-making list. Things you'll stop, delay, delegate or say no to.
- One printable page. Plain, with ☐ boxes you tick by hand or in any notes app.
- The first check-in booked. The plan is only real once someone will ask about it.
Timeline
From first call to first Monday is usually about one week.
- Day 1: free 30-minute consultation to see whether it fits.
- Days 2–4: two working sessions of about 90 minutes each, by phone or video.
- Day 5: a short call to read the page aloud together and fix anything vague.
- Following Monday: week one starts.
How progress is measured
We count commitments, not outcomes. Each week, a commitment is either kept, partly kept or slipped. Over six weeks you'll see a simple ratio, for example 22 kept out of 30 made.
That ratio is the honest signal. If your revenue rises, many things caused it. If your kept ratio rises, you did that. We also note which kinds of commitments slip most, because that pattern usually points to the real constraint, such as calls you dread or decisions waiting on someone else.
We never promise a business result from an action plan. We promise that six weeks from now you'll know exactly what you did and didn't do.
Mistakes to avoid
- Too many lines. Thirty commitments in six weeks is a wish list. Fifteen is a stretch for most owners.
- Vague verbs. "Work on marketing" can't be kept or slipped. "Send the quote follow-up text to last month's 12 open quotes" can.
- No room made. Adding without removing almost always ends in a slip.
- Rewriting instead of reviewing. When week two goes badly, owners want a new plan. Usually you need a smaller week three, not a new document.
Starting your plan
Bring whatever you have. Read how the weekly check-ins keep the plan honest, check the project range on the pricing page, or see our guide on turning a plan into weekly action. Then call, text or email to book the free consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a business plan before we start?
No. A formal plan helps, but a list of goals, notes from a planning day or even a conversation is enough. Part of the work is pulling the real priorities out of whatever you already have.
Why six weeks and not a year?
Because a year-long action list is out of date by spring. Six weeks is long enough to finish meaningful work and short enough that you renew the plan with fresh information. Most owners run several six-week plans back to back.
How long does building the plan take?
Usually two working sessions of about 90 minutes in the same week, plus a short review call. You start the first commitments the following Monday.
What happens after six weeks?
We review what got done, what didn't and why, then write the next six-week plan. You can continue with weekly check-ins or stop; there's no lock-in.