Focus your thinking Establish realistic strategy operating
company on paper Financing and other support give them good reason
to invest Reaction by others Kassicieh: New Ventures2
Introduction
Slide 3
Build it for its intended purpose Lots of work Do not approach
it as a necessary evil: you are looking to convince someone to give
you something Changes to plan are part of life: entrepreneur should
be intimate with plan Kassicieh: New Ventures3 Plan
Slide 4
Many sites are out there Use them for help in design The
content should be totally yours so that you are able to answer the
probing questions of your investors, bankers, advisors, etc. Be
careful in using packaged software to build your plan: content
knowledge is key Kassicieh: New Ventures4 Sites with sample
plans
Slide 5
Document that can convince the reader that the business can
produce enough revenue to make a satisfactory profit and therefore
attractive as an investment opportunity Benefits in writing plan:
Record of ideas and justification Way to get feedback Kassicieh:
New Ventures5 Definition
Slide 6
Information about competition, choices, growth, markets, etc.
Information knowledge Knowledge promotes confidence Confidence
enthusiasm Enthusiasm promotes success Kassicieh: New Ventures6 Why
does entrepreneur need BP?
Slide 7
Lack of planning Poor management: due to lack of planning,
anticipation of events and alternative solutions Lack of adequate
information: what is going on in industry, economy, competition,
etc. Undercapitalization: not enough money planned for survival,
expansion, meeting competition Kassicieh: New Ventures7 Why
Businesses fail?
Slide 8
BP should sell the writer/reader on the business: so that you
can go out and do it, and for reader to invest in it Confidence of
knowing the issues Improve chances of success Kassicieh: New
Ventures8 Many reasons to build one
Slide 9
Investment by VC or Angels Strategic alliances Large contracts
Key employees Mergers and acquisitions Kassicieh: New Ventures9
Purposes
Slide 10
Look inward: what do you want? What kind of a business person
are you? A people person or shy/aloof person Do you want money now
or later? Lifestyle vs. high flyer: venture capital funds
technology high growth ones only Kassicieh: New Ventures10
Issues
Slide 11
Small group/person and early money is lifestyle business Large
group and later money is growth business Mismatches Turning from
one to another Both are OK Kassicieh: New Ventures11 Personal
Goals
Slide 12
Make it easy to read Market driven approach: Know your
competition and market Uniqueness of company Management strength
Attractive realistic projections Funding sources Kassicieh: New
Ventures12 Guiding principles
Slide 13
No right way: plans can differ Be creative but set a limit
Concise and focused Captures energy and personality of business
leader Include negatives and issues Spend some time on it
Kassicieh: New Ventures13 Principles of BP
Slide 14
Cover Page: contact name, legal disclosures Table of contents:
page numbers Executive summary The market and competition The
management team Financial information: must include the ask and how
to exit Kassicieh: New Ventures14 Essential sections of Business
Plan
Slide 15
What are you selling? How is it better, faster, cheaper?
Company history Sales and Promotion Exit options Kassicieh: New
Ventures15 Essential sections of Business Plan
Slide 16
Risk factors: shows that you know what could go wrong and plan
to avert it Marketing plan: if this is new to the world innovative,
how are you going to get people to know about it and use it?
Kassicieh: New Ventures16 Other sections: technology based
Slide 17
Sul Kassicieh
Slide 18
Miniature business plan: investors see a large number of
business plans. You need to get them to read more a full view in
the two pages of the executive summary Capture attention Your
passion/personality Kassicieh: New Ventures18 Executive
Summary
Slide 19
Spend time on it Guide for rest of plan More confidence about
the rest Lead to a better product If you were the reader, Would you
invest? Would you follow up with other questions? Would you pursue?
Kassicieh: New Ventures19 Executive Summary
Slide 20
Says little about company strategy No coverage of marketing
issues Focus on needs: people who invest are not in the charity
business, they are investors! Internally rather than externally
directed Kassicieh: New Ventures20 Bad exec summaries
Slide 21
Explains why market opportunity is there Establishes strategy
Deals with competing effectively Shows external readers why they
should be interested Using to the point language Kassicieh: New
Ventures21 Good exec summary
Slide 22
Overall approach to producing and selling Overall purpose
encapsulated in mission statement Using technology is important
success factor Management team Compatibility between these elements
is a must, otherwise you cannot sell the companys plan. Kassicieh:
New Ventures22 Company strategy
Slide 23
Break into Past Present Future Make sure the link between these
is justified Problems if you want to accomplish things that were
not accomplished before without much change Kassicieh: New
Ventures23 Strategy
