A Glimpse to Business Planning
Drawing a map to successful investment
Redirecting Business Thinking
“You worked with the global market, right?” he asked me.
I smiled and answered “yes!”. “Well, we got to work together! I could use your help.”
A day later, I met with him. He is a founder of a promising start-up. The company was almost ready to start it’s marketing and was looking towards the North American market to begin their fieldwork.
He wanted to recruit me to assist with the company’s business development plan. Before answering, I asked him for a brief. “Don’t be too technical, just tell me about your product”.
He was enthusiastic. He told me about his product and specified all its features. Then, he elaborated on the market research, the statistics, and the real identified need. “Tell me more”, I requested. “What is the company’s vision, What is your mission, can you share with me your investor deck? I would like to see what is your company’s message”. He amazed me with his honest and brave answers.
It was thrilling to realize that this pioneering start-up will bring a significant change to the market. When I dived deeper into the company’s strategic goals and asked the senior management what is the company’s mission and what will be the impact of its product on the market, I found that the company’s story and its message need to be sharpened. The message was unclear. I also found that the investor pitch was too long and detailed, and the strategic plan for the next 3–5 years is… not written yet.
“Well, it’s too early to build the business development plan with the global market”, I thought. I could not imagine talking business without a firm foundation of the company’s strategy, focused message, and a clear vision. The business development plan is derivative from all of the above.
“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck” — Dalai Lama
At this point, I realized that we should clarify the company’s vision and strategy first and then assemble a compelling investor deck. Although our initial meeting was set to talk about the global market, we should draw a comprehensive map that includes the company’s mission, and the milestone to achieve it.
Two months later, we finished drafting the company’s strategic plan and we hold a clear vision and mission. We already worked on the pitching and significantly improved the investor deck. Today, we actually have a list of investors waiting to meet with the founder!
The sales and marketing plans are being drafted, and the content plan is a work in process.
“The secret of success is focus of purpose.”
— Thomas A. Edison
Why sharing this story?!
dealing with so many aspects of the business might set your mind off your vision and goals. The most effective way to make sure you are on the right path is to draw a map towards your vision and use measurable milestones. At the end of the day, investors do not only look for your visions and dreams, but they also look at your strategic plan to get there.