How to Help Your Friend Prepare a Business Plan

Often people who are very good in business will haveIt's about "planning" not just completing it to show to
their friends come to them when they have an idea ofyour Angle or pitching to potential investors."
a new company to start. Generally, we all recommendNext, I explain that, "first, as I build this plan, I was hoping
that it makes sense to prepare a business plan to helpyou might spend a couple of hours making some
bring investors on board, or to take to the bank tonotes. Perhaps, print the outline I've prepared and think
borrow the money to start their company. Still, it is a lotabout it."
of work to prepare a business plan, and it is evenA seasoned MBA student, small-business owner, or
harder if the individual wanting to start the new firmlong-standing entrepreneur will have no problem putting
doesn't know where to start themselves.together a plan if they have all the right information up
This is why I recommend if you are doing suchfront. Putting together a rough draft is not all that hard,
entrepreneurial planning that you discuss many thingsif you have the major components in place. Once a
with the person who has the concept for the newrough draft business plan is put together, the person
venture, and work with them every step of the way.with the concept can then began to write in the
One way I have found to do this, is to prepare anmargins, in between the double space sentences.
outline prior to creating the plan, and then ask theAnd if the process goes back and forth like this for
entrepreneur:three or four times, you are bound to have a solid
"If you can give me a sentence or two under as manystrategy that looks and feels right, and it is ready to put
of the headings as possible, this will help speed up theto the test to secure the financial needs of the future
process. So the plan is convincing, don't worry we willbusiness. Please consider all this.
constantly be changing it as we go, saving old drafts.