One of the most important mantras in writing is: “know your audience.” When I write copy for web sites or brochures I am focusing on the target market, and not the webmaster. For online application tutorials I focus on the learner, and not the programmers who developed the application. Logic then would follow when writing a business plan I should focus on the potential investors and not the principals. In order to solidify my understanding of what exactly investors are looking for in a plan, I asked a number of people involved in the VC world.
Part of the answer I got was as expected. They read the executive summary, and if intrigued, flip to the financials. But there were several other things that I had underestimated, including the value they place on the principal players in the startup. In some cases, these investors looked at the CVs before the financials. They want to see that if the idea is sound, so are the people who are going to execute it. From my own experiences, I had one web-based startup whose CTO had over twenty years' experience....in sales. Nothing against the individual, his experiences, or qualifications, but to have a technology-based company with a Chief Technology Officer with no hardcore experience in technology casts doubt on the viability on the whole venture. The idea can be great, the numbers, unbelievable, but if you cannot demonstrate that you and your team have what it takes to execute, then you will not be able to convince them that you should be funded.
You have to not just find yourself within the pages of your plan, but prove yourself. Think of it as a job interview. You are trying to prove why you should get the money. The business plan should be a reflection of who you are now and where you see yourself in the future. It should demonstrate that you have thought through all of the issues, and have assembled the team to fulfill your vision. Indeed, this can be a soul-searching exercise because you may in fact discover that you do have this great idea, the numbers all make sense, but you simply have the wrong team. This may be troubling to discover in the planning stage, but it is disastrous to discover once things get rolling in earnest.
This raises a very important point. Even though companies create business plans for their investors, plans are perhaps even more crucial for the company itself than for the investors. To reiterate an earlier point, a plan forces you to recognize who you are now and what you need to be in order to succeed.
finding the U in your bUsiness plan - To learn more about this author, visit Jason Helfenbaum's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland Smith's Website |
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Jason Helfenbaum
(Visit Jason's Website)
Jason Helfenbaum is the owner of ClicKn
owledge, a writing and consulting
company based in Toronto, and Clear Text,
based in Jerusalem. Both companies offer a
number of services ranging from web copy
and online training to user guides and
business plans. The goal of every one of
their projects is to simplify and
customize the information in order to
bring the greatest benefit to company
productivity, profits, and relationships.
Clients vary from Fortune 500s to
startups. A graduate of the University of
Toronto, Jason enjoys the challenge of
engaging in different writing styles and
forms of communication. He also enjoys
various forms of creative writing when not
dealing with his clients, his three
children (no comparisons intended), or
stealing a quiet moment with his wife.
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