| If you're an entrepreneur getting ready to create a | | | | process. The key is not to quit. Put a few words |
| business plan, these tips will get you started in the | | | | down on the paper, then a few more. Jot down |
| right direction in creating a business plan. | | | | concepts rather than trying to do complete |
| The Business Plan Is Your Baby--It Needs To Look | | | | sentences. |
| Like You. | | | | Management, Management, and More Management |
| The business plan should reflect the personality of | | | | The crux of the matter in writing a Business Plan is |
| your management team, and the type of company | | | | to prove to the reader that the people involved in |
| you want to create. As the reader goes through it, | | | | the business have the skill and experience to create |
| he Should get to know the people involved in the | | | | a successful enterprise. |
| company, their vision, their objectives, and their | | | | Investors put money behind people, not simply |
| enthusiasm for the company and the industry. Tell | | | | behind cool products and interesting technologies. |
| the story of your company in your own voice. A plan | | | | There are many wonderful, patented inventions that |
| for a music production company would look much | | | | never see the fluorescent light of day at Wal-Mart |
| different than a plan for a medical device | | | | because no one could figure out how to profitably |
| manufacturer. | | | | manufacture and sell the product. You must tell the |
| Not Everyone Has A Flair For Fiction | | | | reader about what you have accomplished in your |
| Business Plans are essentially works of | | | | business career, not just tell about the positions you |
| fiction--documents that talk about what you imagine | | | | have held or what mighty corporations you have |
| or hope may occur in the future, not what has | | | | worked for. What have you done that can inspire |
| already occurred. This type of writing is difficult for | | | | confidence in your ability to execute the business |
| everyone. You've heard of "writer's block". The | | | | strategy in the plan? Write in active terms: I |
| problems you are having keeping the words flowing | | | | increased revenues 100% in two years. I cut |
| are precisely the ones faced by the great writers, | | | | divisional costs by 45%. Isupervised 100 people in 8 |
| except many of them have to keep going because | | | | states. |
| the publisher has given them a unreachable deadline | | | | One of the most striking, and succinct statements I |
| and they've already spent their advance, but you of | | | | have ever read in the Management Section was: "In |
| course, having read Rome Wasn't Planned, Funded, | | | | our last venture, I earned the investors a 2,500% |
| and Built in One Day have allowed plenty of time to | | | | return." Most of us would take a chance on backing |
| finish the Business Plan--so there's no reason to feel | | | | that guy. |
| pressured. Right? | | | | Hope these tips help you when you create your |
| If you feel blocked, don't worry. It's all part of the | | | | business plan. |