Websites
Articles
- 10 Lessons from Wall Street Every IT Professional Should Master
An excellent article covering ten common errors that executives of emerging technology companies make when working with the investment community.
- Approaches to Writing a Business Plan
There are four basic types of business plans, each serving a different purpose. How you prepare your plan depends in part on the type you are preparing.
- Build a Strong Business Plan, Section by Section
A guide from Inc.com.
- Creating a Business Plan That Works
Important insights about what works and what doesn't in a business plan.
- Get a New Business Plan, Stan
Good advice for business plan writers.
- In Pictures: 10 Presentation Killers- Forbes.com
An easy to digest slideshow presentation of ten crucial errors to avoid when making your sales pitch to investors or venture capital firms. This is an important read for any entrepreneur going into a sales or investment meeting, as even the soundest of business plans can fail to raise capital if venture capitalists and investors walk out of meetings unimpressed by your pitch or your presentation style.
- In Pictures: The 20 Most Important Questions in Business- Forbes.com
A slideshow treatment of the top twenty points that any would-be entrepreneur or business owner absolutely must have sorted out, preferably before the capital is all spent and the customers have all left. Any entrepreneur who can't answer these questions quickly and easy has some thinking to do. A quick and easy must-read checklist for those coming up with their own business plan.
- Making Your Financials Add Up
No business plan is complete until it contains a set of financial projections that are not only inspiring but also logical and defensible.
- MTDC
A venture capital firm talks about their selection criteria and unwritten rules for selecting new ventures to invest in.
- Persuasive Projections
Predicting the future is hard. But when you're making financial projections, that's exactly what you need to do. You can avoid some of the most common mistakes by following this list of dos and don'ts.
- Putting Together a Sound Business Plan
Some nice tips on what to keep in mind when writing your business plan.
- Royal Bank of Canada
Business plan guide, including several sample plans.
- SBA Business Advisor
Resources for startups and business plan writers.
- SoYouWanna.com
How to write a business plan.
- The 18 Mistakes that Kill Startups
An excellent essay of mistakes that you can control. Although some of the points are specific to software startups, most points apply to startups in any industry.
- The Essentials of a Business Plan
All business plans must show two things: a winning idea and a clear shot at a profit.
- The Top Ten Lies of Entrepreneurs
Guy Kawasaki says: "I get pitched dozens of times every year, and every pitch contains at least three or four of these lies. I provide them not because I believe I can increase the level of honesty of entrepreneurs as much as to help entrepreneurs come up with new lies. At least new lies indicate a modicum of creativity!"
- Turndowns
Here is a study of why 50 of 150 actual plans were rejected by a Screening Committee member of the Launchpad Angel Group.
- Why Business Plans Don't Get Funded
Your business plan is very often the first impression potential investors get about your venture. But even if you have a great product, team, and customers, it could also be the last impression the in-vestor gets if you make any of these avoidable mistakes.
- Why You Need to Write a Business Plan
Learn why writing a business plan is important -- even if you're not trying to raise money.
- Writing a Business Plan FAQ
Learn the what, when, why and how of business plans.
Tools & Utilities
- Bplans.com
Business plan preparation software and sample business plans. Also includes tips for writing business plans.
- High Tech Startup Valuation Estimator
Wondering what your pre-money valuation will be if a VC ever puts a term sheet on the table? Answer the following questions, and we'll calculate an approximate range for you. Of course, every situation is different, so your mileage may vary.
- MoneyHunter’s Business Plan Template
From The Money Hunt television show. NOTE: The site appears to be down at this time. If you discover that it is up and running again, please let us know.
- NEBS Business Plan Tool
An interactive business plan writing resource.
- Plan Ware
Software and other resources for writing business plans and financial projections.
- SBA Business Plan Outline
Includes tips on how to complete various sections of the business plan.
Disclaimer: Inclusion in this directory does not constitute an endorsement. The materials linked to from this page are copyrighted to their respective owners.
