Duct Tape Marketing - Latest Comments in I Hate Business Plans

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Adil113 — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:44:35 -0000

Hi,

Yes today most of the businesses failed, because no one gave importance to learning; only having a good idea is not always enough. Learning is the everlasting process.

I totally agree with you, it is not necessary if you have a solid idea then you will succeed. There are so many things you have to look when you are starting any new venture, just having an good idea is not enough, you need to have knowledge and strategies and proper strategy execution is far important then just having a strategy under your belt, and most crucial part is you have to craft yourself according to the needs of the market and without learning its not possible.
I personally like your post; you have shared good insights and experiences. Keep it up.

Business Plan Writers

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Frank — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:53:11 -0000

I can understand the idea of hating business plans but love business planning. Business plans need to be only as detailed as the purpose to which it placed. If you are raising capital (debt or equity) you will need a formal business plan. If you do not like to them, then hire someone to do it for you. For internal purposes, a "bullet-level" business plan for each of the major sections (marketing, operations, management, financial assumptions) and financial analysis is all that is needed. I use a business plan in my business because I use it as a to do list that helps me stay connected to goals.

What do you really need to know from a business plan? I need to know right now what I need to do now, to make my business succeed. Because all you ever have is now. Perhaps planning is the best use of now.

Frank Dobner
www.thestartupsource.com

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Angie A. Swartz, Six Figure Mo — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:11:54 -0000

A favorite client quote, "Angie, the best coaching advice you ever gave me was, "If writing a business plan isn't your thing, then don't write one". This client was banging his head against the wall because he had a block about the writing not the plan. He was intimidated by the process of sitting down at this desk and writing. I suggested he buy a voice recorder and go to the beach and talk about his vision. It worked well for him and he was able to move his business forward. This book will be freeing to many folks that have the same issues with business planning. I work with a lot of business owners and executives and often see clients cringe when I mention business plans. There's just something about those words that seem to instantly increase their stress levels. Clients move to thinking allnighters, pulling my hair out, wasting time when I could be working, things change anyway so why bother, I don't have time for that, et al. These same clients who can't focus on their business plans continue to wonder why they can't seem to get clarity on their business and why they can't get sales to the next level. Thanks for giving them another option and thanks for giving me another tool!

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Paul Simister — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:48:52 -0000

Just to be contrary but also to continue the debate

I love business plans because they provide a record of intention at the time.

So often there is this huge gap between what we say we will do, what we do and what results we get.

A business plan gives you the chance to look back and reflect on why things didn't go as you expected.

A business plan gives you a chance to learn and adapt your future behaviour.

A business plan stops your mind playing tricks on you as each day your plan evolves and you forget what you thought.

A business plan captures some of those brilliant ideas that you still haven't put into action so that you can bring them back to the table.

I love business plans, I love business planning...I hate people failing to take purposeful action.

I hate it when people won't decide on where they want to go and drift aimlessly.

I hate it when people don't measure and monitor the business.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Eugene Chan — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:20:42 -0000

Hmmmm, good question....I hate it because I don't think I have time to do it (or do it well), but when I look back afterwards, I realize how important it is.

Business planning is like writing, even if I don't refer to it again, the act of clarifying makes it stand out stronger in my mind.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

matsonian — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:00:36 -0000

I hate business plans... NOT! What I hate is the reality that business plans don't help you plan your business, they ONLY help you present your business to financiers. If you want a plan that really helps you develop your idea into a successful venture, stay away from Business Plan Pro and try QuickPlanner Plus. It is good to see that Tim Berry is marketing himself well and keeping up with the era of FastCompany planning, but Business Plan Pro was a headache when I tried it four years ago, and it is still a headache now.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Stephanie — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:42:59 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because it can totally uncover the unlimited potential of where I can take my business.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Wendy Blomseth — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:26:12 -0000

I hate business plans but, as someone once said,
"failing to plan, is planning to fail."

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Sumit Garg — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:09:08 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because it helps to bring in some predictability to my otherwise spontaneous decisions.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

LindaBusiness — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:04:24 -0000

...I love business planning because it reminds me that I am in business.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Jared — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:59:25 -0000

I'm a little late but ill answer anyway...

I hate business plans but I love business planning because....its gives me goals and motivation. Without some type of planning I wouldn't have anything to strive for. The plan can be extremely broad and open and even if I end up somewhere I had no intention of being it will be because I had an idea or dream at some point.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Douglas Boyce — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:07:33 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because.. they make me think about what's next and how to get there.

Otherwise, if you don't know where you are going, any train will get you there.

- D3

Re: I Hate Business Plans

John Duff — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:05:00 -0000

"I hate business plans but I love business planning because..." I love my business. Writing a 'business plan' sucks, but actually planning and executing my business is amazing.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Rodrigo Leme — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:00:20 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because in my area things change very quickly, and constant business planning allows me to react faster.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

jeremiah — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:00:15 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because every time I have tried doing a formal business plan it seems like I am building a box around my creativity and the ability to re-align my goals. While I still keep a high level business plan by my side, it is not being used as a complete set of blinders, more of a north star to keep me on track yet giving me room for adventure.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Hamilton Wallace — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:57:04 -0000

Business plans, traditional business plans, seem to be vanishing in the small business world. I create a lot of marketing plans and I encourage owners to look at them as gardens: they require almost daily tending if you want to "reap a harvest" in the end. Just like a garden, if you create a business plan and go back to check how you're doing in three months, you'll be disappointed.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Greg Curry — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:56:23 -0000

because so much of the planning seems like guesswork, however without it you just end up aimlessly adrift...

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Ruth M. Callejas — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:56:16 -0000

"I hate business plans but I love business planning because . . .” Business planning allows me to create company procedure manuals as I work on a specific plan. These manuals are a great tool later for training or outsourcing.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Jon — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:52:04 -0000

I hate business plans because planning ahead more than 90 days has never worked for me. You CAN plan ahead, but don't put anything in stone, because in the real world you have to adapt and change.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Cleve — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:51:12 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because sticking to something you wrote 6 months ago is often a recipe for disaster. Our market is so dynamic and our product so new that we have to constantly adapt to circumstances and customer feedback.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Allin Bond — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:50:37 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because . . . I have the passion...it is my blood sweat and tears on the front line. And that is the beauty of Business; your business passion, vision and dedication transcends the tangible business plan.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Kim Peters — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:50:06 -0000

I hate business plans because I just can't think that far ahead. I love business planning because it let's me look at options for a nearer future that I can see if I squint my eyes a little...

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Andrew — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:48:59 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because...my company needs to know how we are going to bring a industry shaping product to market in a way that the market will understand!

Re: I Hate Business Plans

JMS — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:38:14 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because I feel like I'm solving real problems with the latter, predicting the future with the former. I know that's not actually the case, but that's often how it feels.

Re: I Hate Business Plans

Christine — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:37:57 -0000

I hate business plans but I love business planning because . . .

It's exciting to create something to fill a need. Figuring out the who and what... and then the *how* drives me, inspires me and thrills me. (It's also fun to look back in six months, a year etc, and see how it's matching up and tweak if necessary.)