Creating a Business Plan for Dummies

by Veechi Curtis

Everything you need to know to design a profitable businessplan

Whether you're starting a new business or you’ve beentrading for a while, Creating a Business Plan For Dummiescovers everything you need to know. Figure out whether yourbusiness idea is likely to work, how to identify your strategicadvantage, and what you can do to gain an edge on the competition.Discover why a business plan doesn't have to be a thrity-pagedocument that takes days to write, but can be a simple process thatyou do in stages as you work through your business concept. Learnhow to prepare an elevator pitch, create a start-up budget, andcreate realistic sales projections. Discover how to predict andmanage expenses, and assemble a financial forecast that enables youto calculate your break-even. Look at the risk involved in thisbusiness and experiment with different scenarios to see ifyou’re on the right track.

Explains how to create a one-page business plan in just a fewhours Takes a simple step-by-step approach, focusing on budgets,financials, and everyday practicalities Offers focused guidance on managing cashflow, designingmarketing plans, and establishing a long-term vision for yourbusiness Includes access to downloadable templates and worksheets, aswell as helpful online audio and video components Written by Veechi Curtis, bestselling author and businessconsultant

A good business plan is the first step to success for any newbusiness, and getting it right can mean the difference between bigprofits and big trouble. Creating a Business Plan ForDummies gives you the detailed advice you need to design agreat business plan that will guide your business from concept toreality.

Genres: Business, Reference

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I skimmed through, trying to get a general sense of things, as this is only the 2nd business book I've read. There is a lot of terminology that frankly is not for dummies like me. I got some general principles from it, but I would not recommend it for someone trying to create a business plan for the first time, as I am. Here are the key concepts I got from my quick read:
- What makes your business unique?
- Tell the story of your business in your elevator pitch to people
- Being cheaper than a competitor is not enough, as they can lower their price to remove your advantage
- Are you missing out on profit by pricing too low when customers actually would pay more?
- What is your break-even point for making a profit?
- Protect your company's IP
Read the above list, skim the book if you must, but don't take the time to read every word. It's way too wordy and talks a lot about things that I think are just unimportant unless you're already solidly into business and/or starting a very large business.