Business Improvement Techniques Business Plan Business Improvement Techniques 11.1 Peter Antonucci

Starting a new venture Exploring a possible opportunity Refocusing an on-going company Expanding the company Preparing an exit strategy Considering Investor participation There are a number of reasons you may want to prepare a business plan: costs price functionality change Time to market Market share competition Business Improvement Techniques 11.1

Templets for Business Plans  Many templets available  Venture capital perspective  Start-up perspective  Market perspective  Banker perspective  Entrepreneurial perspective  Get the one that is right for your needs Business Improvement Techniques 11.1

General Guidelines  If you are trying to attract a venture capitalist, use one of their business plan models  If you are building a plan to satisfy yourself that an opportunity is a viable business venture, then focus on a simple model.  The work is critical, now is the best time to get the expertise you need Business Improvement Techniques 11.1

Business Plans  A more complex exercise  Key to success: FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS And I would like to add: KEEP IT SIMPLE! Resist the tendency to spend too much time on the relatively easy parts and focus on the perceived barriers to success Business Improvement Techniques 11.1

Balance between the level of granularity and expediency  If a few days of effort will show the way then there is no need to write a book  An educated guess is acceptable if it lets you move on to subsequent tasks  Research and real data should be the follow-up  Gaps and risks should be documented Business Improvement Techniques 11.1

Ask Yourself Why am I doing this? Who else will be involved? What will it cost to get started? Where will the money come from? How long can I support myself? How do I define success? Do I have the capacity to compete? Who is my competition? Why will I succeed? Business Improvement Techniques 11.1

Depending on the type of Business Plan you are developing, here are some other considerations … Partnerships Exit strategies Revenue distribution Shared values Roles and responsibilities Value to the enterprise Equality of tasks Sell/merge/close Cost distribution Market trends Cash reserves Flexibility Competition Labour pool International law Accounting Legal help Information Technology Business Improvement Techniques 11.1

Help  Critical for success  Critical to get it right  help yourself … do the homework  Expertise to help  3 day workshops to walk one through a rigorous process for immediate results Business Improvement Techniques 11.1