Dynamic Biz Plan

[If not now when]

Help to create a meaningful dynamic Biz Plan
Who do you recommend?
Who offers this service?

[sam_leader]

Hi If not now when,

What an intriguing user name!

Welcome to the forums. I'm sure others will have some useful advice on this front but my tip would be to read some of the articles in the business planning section of our site.

Hope this helps.

Sam

[Burgo]

Government small business departments in all states
Peter Thorpe www.successsecrets.com.au
most small business coaches, advisers and you could probably get one from the small business bookshop who posts on here.
Have a look as Sam says on Flying Solo.

There are heep around it finding one which suites just grab a template and modify it to your needs.
Talk to your accountant they may have some ideas for you to think about.

Im sure there are more that I'm not aware of, good luck

[Ric Willmot]

Personally, I don't believe that Business Plans provide value to small business people, such as the good folk on this Flying Solo Forum.
A Strategic Action Exposition which is current, flexible and pertinent is of much greater value.
That being said, business plans are necessary when obtaining finance from banks and assistance from governments and public servants; so there is a template you can download for free from my website.
Business Plan Template in MS-Word

Rgds,
Ric

[stuartthorn]

Originally Posted by Ric Willmot

A Strategic Action Exposition which is current, flexible and pertinent is of much greater value.

Rgds,
Ric

Hi Ric

Can you explain .. provide a link which explains what a Strategic Action Exposition is

Stuart

[Ric Willmot]

Hi Stuart,
That is my terminology for having a defined strategic intent.
It may be formalised in the form of a brief (maybe even a half page) document; or it might be some very clear thoughts that haven't even been written.

In my experience, many clients have had wonderfully written and bound Business Plans that never see the light of day, are rarely used to measure results against, and people within the organisation who are involved in producing outcomes have not even been privy to it. ... Worthless, therefore.

I have also worked with small operators, executive directors, CEOs and Boards of Management (and Boards of Directors) who did not have a Business Plan but were very clear about the strategic intent of the organisation. You can guess which group have been more successful.

If you can clearly articulate the trajectory of the strategic mission of the business, and all of the stakeholders in the organisation know, believe and understand in that trajectory as well, you are ready for launch.

If the strategic trajectory is a very good one, then you know that Mission Control have set a very good course for your journey. By then developing a series of action steps (Strategic Action Expositions) to underpin the trajectory you have enough fuel in the rockets to leave the launch pad and escape the gravitational pull of business mediocrity.

In working with organisational giants like BHP, specialist businesses like Toll North Logistics, professional firms like Kafrouni Lawyers, and small businesses such as HB Recruitment -- I have always worked with them to establish a very positive, appropriate and smart Strategic Action Exposition (SAE) and advised them not to waste resources on a Business Plan.

What I also have them do, is share that SAE with EVERYONE in the organisation, and have them know and trust that the SAE can change on a monthly, quarterly or even half-yearly basis. Business is not a set and forget proposition.

Point in case, if you are still using the same Business Plan or even Strategic Intent you were a year ago or even 9 months ago, you could well be headed for a galaxy far away from the successful stellar you need to be aiming for given the current economic environment.

Having a smart and appropriate SAE and modifying it as conditions (in markets, economies, clients, suppliers) change -- allows you the flexibility to dodge the oncoming asteroid belts that weren't on the radar when you launched. And, you can adapt to exciting opportunities to bravely pursue new planets that appear and go where no astronaut has gone before.

Rgds,
Ric

[Lisa Murray - Biz Coach]

Hi
It depends what you want your business plan for - I have an MBA and can write the zillion page totally useless (except for getting finance) style plan, or you could do what I recommend to my clients, which is to have a one page business plan which you update every 2 - 3 months as your business grows and evolves - works for me, works for my clients. Happy to share the template if you email me directly at info@revivecoaching.com.au. Or happy to help you develop a one-pager that will work for your business - give me a call if its easier.

cheers
Lisa
0404 063 513

[MissieK]

I sell a great business planning guide at www.businessmumsguides.com.au Also, the next issue of the Business Mums Magazine is on business planning - if that helps

Melissa

[Rachel Reeves]

The emphasis here I think should be on keeping it current - won't go anywhere with stale goals!! It is also good to keep current with new technologies and marketing techniques and that is where the research which comes with updating a business plan comes into it's own. There are probably more than a trillion different ways of pulling together a plan for your business. One of the things I do to keep me focussed is to display one bigger picture goal in a prominent place, along with a couple of easy to achieve sub-goals.

[Burgo]

I actually sat down and wrote a business plan once.
The next day i tore it up
I felt the plan I had written was too restrictive, and in my business I need to be flexible. My plan is in my head, which actually encourages you to stay focused in what your do.

The Association that Im building doesnt have a business plan as yet, but a few of our members are making noises about having one. I thought I would be sneaky and have given this project for the committee to do, I expect it will take several years to complete. In the meantime we are one of the most flexible Associations in the Cleaning Industry.