Startup Business Plans Suck – but so will your business without one

Bob so dreaded writing his startup business plan he thought his head might explode. Poor Bob.

Let’s not mince words. Writing a business plan is a bitch. It’s not a sassy b-iatch; it’s a stone-cold bitch.

No one wants to write one. There’s even a push in the startup community around the idea that plans are old school. These people believe that they don’t need a business plan because they need to stay nimble to succeed. They need to be ready to “pivot” when the business need arises.

That is a big, fat, Oscar Mayer wiener on a bun.

It’s an excuse. It’s the equivalent of thinking you can lose weight without working out. It’s the “if I just take this pill, I’ll have magic metabolism and the pounds will melt away” mentality. It’s the kind of mentality that someone who washes down a magic metabolism pill with a big, fat, Oscar Mayer wiener, would have.

Physically fit people engage in physical activity. Successful businesses plan to be successful. It’s not magic, it’s work.

But hey, you RUN.A.BUSINESS. You’re no stranger to work. So why would you cheat yourself out of one of the most important tools for success a business can have? Why wouldn’t you have a plan?

I promise, it doesn’t have’t to be the monumentally sucky task you think it will be.

By focusing only on what’s important for a startup, and getting rid of  all the other bologna, you can write a plan that will help:

• focus your efforts (Cause who has got time to waste)
• solidify your brand/message/product/selling proposition (Cause that’s how you bring home the bacon – Oscar Mayer or otherwise.)
• discover new opportunities (What? Didn’t see that coming? That’s cause you don’t have a plan)
• and be better equipped to crush your competitors (Cause who doesn’t want to do that?)

Really. Here’s how.

This 70-page eBook (pdf) written just for startups includes:

• Clear, relatable instructions written specifically for a startup
• Simple explanations of what you need to put in, and what you can leave out of your startup business plan
• Sample business plan copy for each section
• 6 Pre-Work suggestions (stuff to get out of the way so you can focus on strategy)
• Get to the Point questionnaire to get your mind in the right place
• 30 links to additional resources, business plan templates and tools

Really, who’s got time to write a startup business plan?

You think you don’t have time to write a business plan. I know. You’re launching a company for Pete’s sake. Every second of every minute of every day is stuffed to the max with stuff. You’re stupid with stuff. You’re tripping over stuff.

I know, I get it.

Or maybe you didn’t found this startup; you’re just a dedicated employee who was handed the momentous task of writing the company’s first ever business plan. No pressure there, huh? In particular because you’re writing it in addition to your regular job. Which, by the way, is anything but a regular job. Right?

In either case, the last thing you want to do is read some boring old book about writing a business plan. Yawn. Your job is hard enough without having to work to stay awake while you learn how to write your plan.

Well, no worries. In Startup Business Plan-a Working for Wonka Guide I talk to you like I would a friend, not like a graduate professor would talk to an MBA class. The facts are all there, but it’s real and it’s relatable.

There’s no fluff.

No business buzzwords.

No corporate speak.

There’s nothing hifalutin about it. (Not even words like hifalutin.) It’s the facts you need, and facts about what you don’t need. All written so that you can get your plan done, and get back to the business of business.

How will Startup Business Plan help me fit this monster task into my busy schedule?

It’s a great question. The bottom line is that if you’re trying to write a business plan while working in the startup, all you have time for is the bottom line. You need the facts, just the facts, and nothing but the quickest facts.

That’s what you get in In Startup Business Plan. Of course I still explain concepts and terms using common, relatable analogies. Like comparing the Operations section of your plan to The Wizard of Oz and the Marketing Strategy section to a sports playbook. But I don’t waste your time going too deep into basic business concepts that you already know, or you wouldn’t be where you are today.

Here are some other ways that Startup Business Plan-a Working for Wonka Guide will make the process faster for you:

Pre-Work: I’ve created a list of tasks that you can complete before you begin writing your plan. It’s work you have to do eventually, but by completing it before hand you make the writing process easier; clearing your mind to focus on strategy not minutia.

Time Gauge: Each section has an estimated time gauge so you can decide what to tackle when. You can work it at your own pace. Though I recommend that you don’t stretch the process out too long. (There’s being busy, and then there’s procrastinating.)

Example Copy: Each main point is illustrated with sample copy from the fictional company How to Build a Better Mousetrap, run by Tom & Jerry. (Yes, that Tom & Jerry. They’re quite the businessmen.)

Get to the Point: If you’re writing this for your entrepreneur boss, use these questions to interview your boss before you get started. You may think you know the answers to these questions, but trust me, your entrepreneur’s mind is running a thousand miles a minute. Their answers today maybe be different than what you heard when you were hired, or even different that what you heard five minutes ago. If you’re the entrepreneur, use these questions to get your mind focused.

Additional Resources: I’ve included links to 30 additional resources to help you get the job done, including links to financial statement templates, links to 100 business plan templates for various businesses, links to tips from Angel investors and VCs, links to 300 job descriptions you can use for inspiration, and more.

Here’s the best part – Got questions? Bring ‘em!

Don’t understand something? Gimme a shout. I’m happy to help. I can’t help you write your plan, but I can help you understand how to write your plan. Once you purchase Startup Business Plan, you can rest easy knowing you have a friend you can call for help. Just go to the Working for Wonka contact page and shoot me an email from the email address you used when you purchased Startup Business Plan. It’s that easy. Now get reading, and get writing and get your startup on track for success. Good luck!

Got questions now? Shout ‘em out in the comment section. I’ll hollah back. Been dying to find a way to say that. Don’t think I pulled it off.