reuben sokol

OVERVIEW

This book offers a top down, strategic approach to business plans. You craft a plan rather than build a plan. Much like creating a bowl on a potter's wheel, you design a unique shape and size so that it all hangs together coherently, then add a variety of glazes that make it shine with wonderful colors visible from afar. 

Designing a plan brick by brick as one would build a house offers a false sense of precision, likely influenced by accountants who look backward or bankers who look only at the present. The structure is too tightly bound; and so removing a few bricks in the face of bad weather can cause the whole building to collapse. 

SAMPLE TIPS

To give a flavor of this approach, following are some sample recommendations contained in this book.

1/   Before you start writing a detailed business plan, distill the business idea to its essence, in 25 words or less.  This process will help you focus before you write.  It will also help define how the business is unique and worthy of a reader's attention.
2/   Play with different variations of the core business idea.  Access your right brain insights to see the business as a living organism, as an almost mystical whole. 
3/    Test your core business concept with potential customers. 
4/    There are many types of business plans ranging from strategies to narrower site location plans.  Decide on the type of plan you need before you start writing.
5/    Tell a captivating story since few business plans are read from the cover to the end.  To save time, delete fluff, such as charts, graphs, detailed financial forecasts or tactical materials such as sample advertisements.