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The Plan

Before starting a business, it's important to consider your long-term objectives and growth principles. Do you want to sell the company in X years or continue to work at it for the foreseeable future? Do you want to grow safely-but-slowly or take on high-risk financing to scale fast? What is your motivation for starting a business? What do you want to do with your life?

Unicorns vs Horses - Article by Andrew Wilkinson

Universal Lessons

Entrepreneurs and their businesses share common needs and risks. Learn from people who want to help you avoid the mistakes that they made or narrowly avoided.

The Great CEO Within - Ebook by Matt Mochary

Product Development

Provide a Product Datasheet (PDS) with accurate specifications. People need full specs to plan performance/compatibility and make an informed decision.

Provide a Product Change Notice (PCN) for every revision. People like checking the release-date and history.

Plan

What is the long-term strategy?

What makes the product/service compelling?

What is strong about the product-market fit?

What are the specific steps of real work that must be done from now to success?

Scope

  • Marketing
  • Sales
  • Support
  • Operations
  • Human Resources
  • Accounting
  • Engineering
  • Legal
  • Finance
  • Security
  • Strategy

Performance Triangle

  • Quality
  • Cost
  • Speed

Ethics Triangle

  • External: Customers, Users, Bystanders, Environment
  • Internal: Employees, Close Contractors, Stakeholders
  • Integrated: Suppliers, Partners, Governments

Key Metrics

  • Total Revenues (Commercial Demand)
  • Total Expenses (All Costs and Resource Outflows)
  • Renewal Rates (Sustained User Satisfaction)
  • Net Promoter Score (User Satisfaction)