Writing a Business Plan – One Page and DONE!
For many years clients have asked me – “Now that I have my new company (corporation or LLC) what should I do next?” Tax and payroll issues aside, I’ve always asked them, “What does your business plan tell you to do?” Their response was almost universally a blank stare or they would ask, “What’s a business plan?” That's why I feel that this article about writing a business plan that's only one page is important.
At that point I shared with them a transformative experience that I had in 2001. I went to a seminar at a convention I was attending. Jim Horan, an author and motivational speaker, conducted the session. The seminar was called the “One-Page Business Plan”, which explained why having a business plan was critical to the success of any business. During the session, Horan also explained the importance of updating your business plan as your business grows. With a long, multi-page, complicated business plan, this could become a daunting task. On the other hand, updating a one-page plan is a simpler and less intimidating endeavor.
How to Get Started
Before writing your one-page business plan, here are some questions you’ll need to answer:
1. What is your vision (what will the company look like in three years)?
2. What is your mission (why are you building it)?
3. What is unique about your business (your point of differentiation)?
4. What results will you measure to see if your business is doing what it should be?
5. What is your strategy for building this business?
6. What is the work to be done?
The Plan
When I attended this seminar, it included workbooks and templates to help you arrive at the answers that would make it easy to write a one-page business plan. The good news is that all of this is now available on the Internet. CLICK HERE and in a matter of minutes you can create a business plan that will allow you to track your business progress and keep you focused on doing the right things.
If you need assistance developing a more comprehensive, long-term business plan, you don’t need to attend a seminar. We have over three decades of Business Law experience. Call our office and let’s talk. Contact Ron Axelrod at (585) 203-1020.
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