NOTE: Since this interview aired, the Startup Business eBook has been updated with more resources, and BETTER NEWS – it’s now only $19.97
Hi Friends of Erin:
If you’re a friend of Erin, you’re probably here because you just finished listening to the EntrepreneurDIY webinar on how to write a business plan. Glad you’re taking this next step towards getting your plan written.
As we discussed on the call, writing a business plan is a beast of a project even under the best of circumstances. And if you’re working in a startup, it’s far from the best of circumstances; every minute of every day counts towards the success of your company
However, this is also the most critical time for your business, and making sure that you are headed in the best possible direction is the best possible thing you can do for your business, for your employees and for yourself. So let’s get to it!
Remember, as I mentioned on the call, the first three people to purchase Startup Business Plan-a Working for Wonka Guide will get a free 30-minute coaching call with me. We can review or brainstorm any section of your business plan you’d like
But don’t worry if you’re not one of the first three. Once you buy Startup Business Plan, you’re free to email me with questions anytime you’d like. I can’t write your plan for you, but I can answer any questions you have about the process of writing it. Just hop over to the Working for Wonka contact page and shoot me a note from the same email address you used when you purchased Startup Business Plan.
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
- Sample 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, templates and tools
Who’s got time to write a startup business plan?
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.
