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Ask HN: I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start?

17 points by jlgosse ↗ HN
Hey guys,

After weeks of brainstorming and discussion with my business partner, friends and colleagues, I have finally decided that it was time to start designing and building my web app.

I've gotten quite a bit of work finished in the last little while, and have naturally started writing down various snippets of information such as monetization strategies, launch plans, competition, etc.

With all of this information coming together on paper, I think it may be a good idea to write a decent business plan. I'm told that having a good business plan can be pivotal in the success of a company, and although it isn't the end-all to success, I feel as though I will have more direction with a proper business plan.

My question is this: Where can I find some excellent documentation in terms of writing a business plan? I'm looking for resources in the form of guidelines, tutorials and examples, blogs, etc. For the record, I've tried some simple Google searches, but most of the results are absolutely bunk and totally outdated.

Thanks for your help.

10 comments

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rms
Send me an email and I can send you some resources. Also note that it's probably a better idea to write a slide deck than a business plan -- in Silicon Valley anyways, a deck is universally preferred.
nico
I don't think the BP per se is all that useful, but the process of writing it will force you to think about and research a lot of your business. The end result should be greater clarity in your thoughts and goals for your company and an awesome 10 slides ppt.
pclark
http://venturehacks.com - read up on "the deck" and, well, the entire site.
erikb85
I wanted to write the same advice. Read that blog, from the beginning! And stop writing a business plan! You don't need one (at least as long it is not a task from one of your professors).

I would suggest these sources, too: http://startuplessonslearned.blogspot.com/ <- how to make your customers pay, before you build a product? http://steveblank.com/ <- stop doing "business" stuff. Go out of the door and talk to your customers. They pay your bills! http://www.avc.com/ <- one other guy, who likes to pay big bills on risky investments, and how he sees the world.

jasonlbaptiste
Put together an awesome slide deck for investors.

For yourself? Put together something that's more of an execution plan, than a "business plan". Cut out the bullshit speak most think they need to write for b-plans. No one else besides your team should be the target audience. 10 pages MAX. Main focus? Customer acquisition.

pedalpete
I like to start with an introduction of what you are going to accomplish. No more than one page, hopefully only 1/2 page. Then a SWOT. Then a SlideDeck (I use Prezi.com).

I wouldn't go down the road of a proper 'business plan' unless you are going to a bank for a loan. You won't follow it, and you won't up date it.

Get the basics down, and then go from there.

Assume that even what you create won't be seen by anybody else. It is often more of a guide for yourself (depending on your situation/organization of course).

foulmouthboy
Start here: http://www.quickmba.com/entre/bplan/ The rest of the site is a very good general business reference, complete with recommended reading. I used it while I was completing my MBA and found it to be a good high to medium level reflection of what I learned.
NEPatriot
How you write the plan depends greatly on the intended audience. But any way you look at it the notion of writing the 50 page business plan is over.

Instead of writing this 50 page monstrosity your focus should be on the product/users.

Below is the best place I've found regarding business plans. The new business plan is short and practical and does not take you months to create.

http://www.thefailingpoint.com/2009/08/gettingstarted/write-...