The Business Plan Idea
The Business Plan Idea
A substantial number of people I respect are against the idea of a business plan.
Their argument is that business plans do not work as once you begin to implement everything changes.
Another argument is that writing business plans slows down implementation.
Solid points but quite short sighted.
The role of a business plan is more than just laying plans to be followed. It is more about thinking through the plan in question.
While I am against the length of time spent on writing business plans, I’m not against the writing of the same.
Writing in it self is focused self reflection. Its aim is to help you criticize your ideas and to find answers and justifications.
Whatever plan laid out might not be followed during implementation but the underlying reason for that idea is forever strengthened because of the decision to think.
We often assume we have thought about a thing critically by brooding over it. Until you write it down, breaking it into bits, and criticising every idea embedded to find answers, you have not properly thought about it.
For every idea you have, I want you to write a business plan for it whether it is a business or not.
A business plan is not in its length but in the quality of thoughts put into it. For instance, if you have an idea to start a podcast, take a piece of paper out and start asking questions
Why do I need to start a podcast?
What is the long term implication of this podcast?
What are the challenges and how to I solve them
What if it doesn’t work? How do I work around it?
What would I be talking about?
How do I ensure I do not run out of what to say?
What effect do I want it to have on people, now and later?
What do I call the podcast?
When do I release the podcast?
These and any other question that might come to mind, need answers.
Not surface answers but deep answers. Then you begin to write and refine and refine till you cannot go further. Then shrink your answers into a one pager aiming for clarity and simplicity.
I assure you, by the time you are done, there will be so much clarity to forge ahead.
Do this across board and you’d be marveled at how much result you can get
This is what I call the business plan idea
