The Explainer: Writing Great Business Plans

A business plan that asks — and answers — the right questions is a powerful tool.


What’s wrong with most business plans? The answer is relatively straightforward. Most waste too much ink on numbers and devote too little to the information that really matters to intelligent investors.

If you want to speak the language of investors — and also make sure you have asked yourself the right questions before setting out on the most daunting journey of a businessperson’s career — assess the four interdependent factors critical to every new venture: the people; the opportunity; the context; and the risk and reward.

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