Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Business Plan 280

Business Plan Product Architecture Business Model 280

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2016

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Business Plan 120

Business Plan Product Architecture Startup 120

YoungUpstarts

MAY 21, 2020

You envision your business as the next Uber or Spotify, yourself as the next Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, reaching that prestigious ‘unicorn’ startup status in record time. Like most entrepreneurs, you’ve probably mapped out the business plan, dreamed up the layout and you’re already snapping up domains and emailing developers with your plan.

Product 264

Product Cofounder Audience Product Development 264

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

If you’re starting a business that sells a service, writing a business plan is one of the first steps you need to take. Writing a business plan can seem complicated at first. There are multiple topics you have to cover and you want to impress your readers with a complete plan. What is a service business?

Business Plan 161

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Sales 161

Up and Running

MARCH 8, 2022

Writing a business plan doesn’t have to be a daunting process that takes weeks or months. Writing a plan just takes a little bit of preparation and a methodology that will guide you through the process, step-by-step. Can you really write a business plan in a day? Business plans can come in many shapes and sizes.

Business Plan 105

Business Plan Forecast Software Review Widget 105

Up and Running

AUGUST 20, 2018

This article is part of our “ Business Planning Guide “ —a curated list of our articles that will help you with the planning process! What is a business plan? In its simplest form, a business plan is a guide—a roadmap for your business that outlines goals and details how you plan to achieve those goals.

Business Plan 119

Business Plan Technical Review Lean Forecast 119

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

You might be thinking that a business plan doesn’t make any sense for your small new enterprise. After all you are not planning on trying to get even a bank loan, let alone venture capital. Isn’t that what business plans are really for anyway: raising money? They say something like “Our products will be better!”

Business Plan 173

Business Plan Startup Venture Capital Differentiation 173

Up and Running

JULY 1, 2020

Businesses start when their founders see a need for a product or service that they can provide. Businesses expand for the same reasons. A good business plan is critical to starting a successful business. Creating a plan for business expansions is no less essential.

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Business Plan Forecast Operations Dilution 152

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 3, 2009

People mistook extra doses of Ajax for a successful product. The last couple of years has also seen the huge initial success of Ycombinator, the Lean Startup and many other product driven approaches to going to market. Someone remind me to do a future post on why I think the Ramen Profitable approach has actually hurt some businesses.

Business Plan 334

Business Plan AJAX Venture Capital Technical Review 334

Up and Running

MAY 1, 2014

You’ve reviewed what a business plan is , and why you need one to start and grow your business. It’s time to dig into the process of actually writing a business plan. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll take you through every stage of writing a business plan that will actually help you achieve your goals.

Business Plan 163

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Distribution 163

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. You need funding, and plan to get it from friends and family.

Business Plan 274

Business Plan Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence 274

Growthink Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2017

You need a good idea – and an excellent business plan. Business planning and raising venture capital go hand-in-hand. A business plan is required for attracting venture capital. But how exactly will your business plan persuade investors to sign a check? Hook them on the first page.

Venture Capital 129

Venture Capital Business Plan Technical Review Private Placement 129

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

On one hand, this can yield some major benefits, such as increased productivity and happier employees. As such, it’s key that your remote team and working environment are now included as part of your business plan. First, do you need a business plan? No business plan = no outside investment.

Business Plan 138

Business Plan Startup Cloud Framework 138

Up and Running

AUGUST 8, 2018

This article, which originally appeared on our LivePlan Blog , is part of our “Business Planning Guide” —a curated list of our articles that will help you with the planning process! Too many meetings are run poorly, have no real objective, and waste employees’ time—which kills productivity. They’re right.

Software Review 65

Software Review Business Plan Product Forecast 65

Up and Running

OCTOBER 3, 2017

This article is part of our “Business Planning Guide” —a curated list of our articles that will help you with the planning process! Start from the very beginning understanding that your business plan ought to be specific to your business needs and objectives. Build your plan, then organize it.

Business Plan 134

Business Plan Balance Sheet Forecast Lean 134

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 6, 2020

Writing a business plan is an important step for any entrepreneur. But, if you’re starting a SaaS busines s, the business plan plays an outsized role because the money required to fuel growth can be much more than you would guess. marketing) and the financial plan. . Customer acquisition plan.

Business Plan 87

Business Plan Forecast Churn Rate Acquisition 87

Women Entrepreneurs Can

AUGUST 9, 2024

Consumers now expect faster and more reliable deliveries, pushing businesses to improve their logistics. Efficient last mile delivery is key to meeting these expectations and greatly affects customer satisfaction, which impacts a company’s success. This requires specialized logistics and careful planning.

Customer 52

Customer Technical Review Software Review Demand 52

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2013

On a regular basis, I am approached by entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like a recent BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this NY Times article. With bootstrapping, no business plan is expected by anyone.

Business Plan 250

Business Plan Technical Review Entrepreneur Angel Investor 250

Steve Blank

MAY 17, 2010

Last week one of the schools I teach at invited me to judge a business plan contest. I suggested that they first might want to read my post on why business plans are a poor planning and execution tool for startups. At best I think business plan competitions are a waste of time.

Business Plan 320

Business Plan Business Model Customer Development Deal Flow 320

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Some entrepreneurs do very little to prepare for due diligence, assuming all the talking has already been done, and the business plan and results to-date tell the right story. Others schedule exhaustive training sessions for everyone on the team, including showcase customers, to make sure that everyone paints a consistent picture.

Technical Review 296

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Bankruptcy 296

Up and Running

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Do you really need a business plan? Can’t you just wing it and skip the whole planning process? If you’re asking a bank, angel investor, or venture capitalist for funding, they’re going to want to know that you have a good handle on your small business’s trajectory. . The process of writing your plan is what’s important.

Business Plan 108

Business Plan Small Business Forecast Balance Sheet 108

Up and Running

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Do you really need a business plan? Can’t you just wing it and skip the whole planning process? If you’re asking a bank, angel investor, or venture capitalist for funding, they’re going to want to know that you have a good handle on your small business’s trajectory. . The process of writing your plan is what’s important.

Business Plan 108

Business Plan Small Business Forecast Balance Sheet 108

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 19, 2019

Startups with a solid business plan and great pitch deck have a far greater chance of gaining investment. In this essay by one of Mercia’s Fund Principals, Ian Wilson, Ian talks about the sorts of things he and the team are looking for when plans come to them for review. Writing a plan does not need to be a daunting task.

Business Plan 92

Business Plan Technical Review Initial Public Offering Due Diligence 92

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 8, 2021

But one of the secrets to effective scaling is an efficient team; if your employees are working productively and consistently, they’ll be capable of making your vision a reality. What Makes Employees Productive in a New Startup? So what is it that makes employees productive in a new startup? Is Productivity Everything?

Employee 127

Employee Product Startup Software Review 127

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

The market is changing so fast these days, and if you are not planning a solution today for tomorrow’s customers, you may be setting yourself up for failure and don’t even realize it. There are always new competitors who are planning their arrival tomorrow. You don’t need friends and family as business advisors.

Customer 144

Customer Advisory Board Technical Review Angel Investor 144

Up and Running

JUNE 28, 2016

What kinds of businesses are likely to jump in on it if you create a new market and become successful? In the early days of business plan software, when I first developed and sold templates to do business plan financials in the middle 1980s, I was the first to do that. That’s your competition. Competitive matrix.

Business Plan 109

Business Plan Technical Review Software Review Vertical 109

Up and Running

JANUARY 25, 2018

What exactly needs to be included in a business plan, and in how much detail? You may have been told that the more detail you can include in your business plan, the better, but this is not necessarily the best strategy for everyone. Digital businesses need to be agile and reactive too. Document your milestones.

eCommerce 96

eCommerce Business Plan Audience Lean 96

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the business model.

Angel Investor 359

Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator Business Model 359

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

After struggling to create your business plan for months, every entrepreneur likes to think that their document is inspirational and will reach someone who is smart enough to see the brilliance of the idea, intuitive enough to recognize their business acumen, and enthusiastic enough to offer the money required to make it happen.

Business Plan 242

Business Plan Elevator Pitch Technical Review .Net 242

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2022

Most business advisors I know will say that writing a business plan is the first step to starting your own business, but I believe that a better first step is to do a self-analysis of your real drivers, strengths, and assumptions before committing to this lifestyle. Every business is a work in progress.

Founder 262

Founder Intellectual Property Social Media Business Plan 262

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

Lots of new box companies have trouble ironing out the kinks in their process: their customer can’t easily unsubscribe, their boxes just aren’t exciting or well-curated, and more. There are several different types of business plans that can help you stay on track. Target market (intended customers). Financial plan.

Business Plan 63

Business Plan Curation Balance Sheet Intellectual Property 63

Steve Blank

MARCH 3, 2015

Berkeley Haas Business School is a leader in entrepreneurship education. It has replaced how to write a business plan with hands-on Lean Startup methods. The final deliverable for that class was a 30-page business plan. We had multiple business plan competitions. Today the U.C. And there it was.

Business Plan 120

Business Plan Silicon Valley Saudi Arabia Lean 120

NZ Entrepreneur

APRIL 22, 2020

Stepping away from the day-to-day running of a business may seem impossible when business is running as usual, but with this enforced lockdown it is giving owners and managers the chance to not only reflect on their own performance, but look at key areas for business improvement. Evaluate your products/services.

Business Plan 53

Business Plan Technical Review Advertising Product 53

Up and Running

AUGUST 6, 2021

This will vary somewhat, naturally, depending on the products and/or services you offer. But there’s an audience segment that every small business (at least, those that don’t focus on age-related products like stairlifts) should target: young people. They’re far more valuable as long-term customers.

Small Business 149

Small Business Customer Social Media Channel 149

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Technical Review 220

Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review Business Model 220

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2021

For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers. Serious investors expect founders to have their homework done before the first interaction – documented executive summary, business plan, and financial model. Product development. Customer retention. Time management.

Technical Review 333

Technical Review Startup Software Review Retention 333

Up and Running

OCTOBER 22, 2014

So, you’ve been asked to write a business plan. Today, I’m going to walk you through an easier way to get your business plan started, through developing a winning strategy. Today, I’m going to walk you through an easier way to get your business plan started, through developing a winning strategy.

Business Plan 130

Business Plan Elevator Pitch Forecast Partner 130