Bob and Miles, the Cory brothers, spent the last six days engaged in the painstaking process of turning piles of sand, gravel, and stone into the patio where I enjoyed my morning coffee. As I sipped and wrote this, I couldn't help thinking about all those do-it-yourself shows that make it look like anyone can get the same kind of results in 30 minutes.

I'm all for taking on a challenge and believing that "anything is possible" but there is something to be said for skill and experience - something big.

Experience reveals the places where potential pitfalls lurk and sets the stage for getting things done well, the first time. As I watched these skilled craftsmen, a message came through loud and clear; all things have a process. And hidden in the process of building a patio, I found success principles for building a business. Here are just a few:

It started with the work before the work. The first task was to undo some things - to dig out and remove the existing soil to prepare the area so that it would support the finished product under all conditions.

Principle #1: Sometimes moving forward looks and feels like going backwards.

Even though Miles and Bob labored hard each day, some days when they left, the visible changes were minor.

Principle #2: Just because activity isn't yielding visible results or matching your expectations, doesn't mean things aren't headed in the right direction.

If I had step-by-step instructions, the willingness to labor at it, and the entire summer off, I could build a patio. But I'm quite sure that one good New England winter would expose me for the novice that I am and require a repair job by a professional.

Principle #3: The investment of hiring an expert to help you accomplish a task that you aren't expert at will often save you money in the long run.

I look forward to many seasons of morning coffee on my patio!

Lisa Almeida is a Marketing on a Shoestring Mentor and owner of Planit Production. She teaches business owners how to get big business results out of small business budgets. If you are in the market for strategies that can deliver the results you want while honoring your vision and values then visit PlanitwithLisa.com today to receive the Special Report "Why Successful Businesses Fail; How to Keep it from Happening to You." Success doesn't just happen; are you ready to planit?