Sunday, May 27, 2012

Lessons Learned for a Business Plan


Dr. William A. Cohen has been a real inspiration to me in regards to my business plan.  I have been particularly impressed with his advice to focus on the executive summary; he suggested keeping it very brief, but specific, because investors want a quick read that really “hits them.” (Videojug.com)

Dr. Cohen’s other advice is to pay attention to the table of contents.  This is something I will need to address in my plan and make some adjustments.  As he explains it, potential investors want to see exactly where the data is located, so they can quickly turn to it and see what they feel is important.  The table of contents is what directs them to that information, quickly and concisely, without superfluous data. 

Growthink founders, Dave Lavinsky and Jay Turo, also impressed me with their list of key attributes to a successful plan, particularly the notion of using reverse engineering to understand how to best establish action plans.  Also, the idea of “communicating ‘brilliantly’” is something I am striving to incorporate into my plan, focusing on my audience and speaking appropriately to them in this document. (Growthink.com)

These suggestions have given me great guidance in developing my plan, and have provided great inspiration in making changes to my plan.  These have also focused my attention on the most important sections of my plan.  The executive summary is my most important piece, as it expresses the mission of the business and the who, what, where and why.  The financial data is also very important, as it offers a very good picture of how things will be setup and what can be expected from the company.  It also shows the plan, financially, and the potential for the future in regards to the earning potential. 

By focusing on these sections, and adapting what I’ve learned from the experts, I believe my business plan will benefit greatly from what I’ve learned from others and from my research.

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