Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Business plans & templates

  1. #1
    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    South East Asia
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    512
    Thanked 126 Times in 99 Posts

    Business plans & templates

    It's time to begin committing my business concepts & ideas to paper. For an engineer, this is not always an easy task.

    I'm looking for information on setting up sound business plans, templates, spreadsheets, links.

    If anyone has useful information in this regard, I would be most grateful. Thanks so much for your kind contribution.
    In search of South African Technology Nuggets(R), for sale & trading in South East Asia.

  2. #2
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Durban, South Africa
    Posts
    22,649
    Thanks
    3,305
    Thanked 2,676 Times in 2,257 Posts
    Blog Entries
    12
    I know TFSA gets some organic search traffic on business plan templates. Most of the traffic goes to the rather aptly named business plan template thread, but there are also some useful links in the ice production business plan discussion.

    You did get me thinking about why I'm not a great fan of business plan templates, though. Perhaps it's because I've never used one, or maybe because I'm concerned that I'll just end up trying to fill out a form to generate a pretty result rather than really think through the issues. I've always mapped them out pretty much from scratch. To me it's about asking the right questions and working out the solutions, figuring out the relationships and finding the optimal points.

    Sure, I've looked at some of these templates, but more with a view to identifying key questions than to use them to generate my actual business plan.

  3. Thanks given for this post:

    desA (21-Mar-10)

  4. #3
    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    South East Asia
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    512
    Thanked 126 Times in 99 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    I know TFSA gets some organic search traffic on business plan templates. Most of the traffic goes to the rather aptly named business plan template thread, but there are also some useful links in the ice production business plan discussion.
    Excellent links there, Dave A. Thanks so much for those. The idea here was to basically look through the essential elements of a generic business plan & to make sure that they are adequately answered, as part of a holistic process, rather than as a shortcut, information-filling exercise.

    You did get me thinking about why I'm not a great fan of business plan templates, though. Perhaps it's because I've never used one, or maybe because I'm concerned that I'll just end up trying to fill out a form to generate a pretty result rather than really think through the issues. I've always mapped them out pretty much from scratch. To me it's about asking the right questions and working out the solutions, figuring out the relationships and finding the optimal points.

    Sure, I've looked at some of these templates, but more with a view to identifying key questions than to use them to generate my actual business plan.
    These are excellent points & I concur completely. Thank you.

    Perhaps you could help steer this thread into new areas by opening up your thoughts on the essential elements that should be in a generic business plan? We could then work these all the way through towards a final product.

    I'd like to use this business plan as a foundation document for attracting investors into a joint-venture business to be established in SA, not for direct bank loans. So, in this sense, it also needs to embody a marketing bias/spin.

    This could be an incredibly useful exercise - something both informative & productive for the TFSA readership. I know that I would welcome the process of discovery, as I'm also guilty of having been one of the 'fly-by-the-seat-of-pants' business-persons in past times.

    I want to do it correctly, this time.
    In search of South African Technology Nuggets(R), for sale & trading in South East Asia.

  5. #4
    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    east london
    Posts
    3,338
    Thanks
    548
    Thanked 625 Times in 524 Posts
    You probably need a 'mind map' more than a template, you know the circle in the middle with other ideas and needs spiderwebbing outwards and so on?

    see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map
    "Nobody who has succeeded has not failed along the way"
    Arianna Huffington

    Read the first 10% of my books "Didymus" and "The BEAST of BIKO BRIDGE" for free
    You can also read and download 100% free my short stories "A Real Surprise" and "Pieces of Eight" at
    http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/332256

  6. Thanks given for this post:

    desA (24-Mar-10)

  7. #5
    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    South East Asia
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    512
    Thanked 126 Times in 99 Posts
    Thanks wynn. An interesting approach. Helps to make sure that all bases have been covered.

    Good thought.
    In search of South African Technology Nuggets(R), for sale & trading in South East Asia.

Similar Threads

  1. Business is Simply Business. Or is it that simple?
    By businessmentor4u in forum Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 24-Apr-12, 03:28 AM
  2. No more business plans please!
    By Vincent in forum Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 12-Nov-10, 09:57 AM
  3. [Article] Working from Home - The Online Business Reality
    By David Venter in forum General Business Forum
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 06-Jul-10, 09:11 AM
  4. Fundamental business principles - Get and keep customers
    By Dave A in forum Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 12-Oct-09, 08:20 PM
  5. [Article] Communication: The Key To Business Turnaround
    By Vincent in forum Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 26-Apr-08, 04:20 PM

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •