1. Module 12.1
Why Write a Bplan?
Jim Beach & Chris Hanks

2. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
What’s Wrong?
• “I don’t need a business plan”
• “Just let me buy you lunch and tell you about my
idea”
• “Waste of time, market-
place changes too fast”
• “It takes too much time”
• “I’ll email what I have”
Slide 12.1-2

3. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
Why Plan?
• Vision of Success
• 72%
• Beat the odds - 31%
• Process vs Product
• Raise Money
• Forces team to work together
Slide 12.1-3

4. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
Why Plan?
• Corridor principle: Once an entrepreneur starts a
business, the entrepreneur begins a journey down a
path where corridors
leading to new venture
opportunities become
apparent
Slide 12.1-4

5. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
Basics
• Page length
• Contact information
• Make it easy to read
• Title sections vary little
• Worry about:
– quality of writing,
– substance of the plan, and
– the degree to which the plan convinces the reader that the
business opportunity is exciting
Slide 12.1-5

6. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
• Internal
vs
Audience
External
Slide 12.1-6

7. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
Red Flags
• Founders with none of their money at risk
• Poorly cited plan
• Defining market too broadly
• Overly Aggressive financials
• Hiding or avoiding weaknesses
• Sloppiness in any one area
• Too long
Slide 12.1-7

8. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved. Business Plan vs Personal Goals
Be careful what you wish for
• Survival
• Lifestyle
• Managed Growth
• Aggressive
Slide 12.1-8

9. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved. Other
• Living, breathing document vs set in stone
• Guy Kawasaki – Write Deliberate,
but Act Emergent
Slide 12.1-9

10. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
Sections
• Executive Summary
• Market Analysis
• Company Description
• Marketing & Sales Activities
• Products & Services
• Management & Ownership
• Funds Required & Their Uses
• Financial Data
• Appendices & Exhibits
Slide 12.1-10

11. © School For Startups. All Rights Reserved.
THANKS!
Buy or Review!
Next: 12-2
Sexy, Unique and Compelling
Slide 12.1-11