By Rolfe Larson on July 10, 2013
Most people agree that a rigorous business plan is a good idea. Clearly it’s best to research the market and risks as thoroughly and objectively as possible. In contrast, a “creative” plan, one that involves sketchy research, is unlikely to meet with success. Right? Well, maybe, but perhaps a certain amount of naivety might increase your […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on June 12, 2013
Here are a few habits for growing your business during the early years: Be Consistent With Side Tasks (create checklists, follow up on them) Clean and Tidy Up (literally and figuratively) Keep Books (too often overlooked or underemphasized in startups) Prepare for Tax Season Schedule Interviews (forSstaff) Before You’re Desperate Create and Follow A Business […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on May 13, 2013
Many entrepreneurs were excited last year when Congress legalized the use of crowdfunding for equity investments. This law, passed as part of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS), would allow a business owner to raise up to $2 million over the Internet from individuals who invest a maximum of $10,000 per person. Too good […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on April 23, 2013
Most business plans appear on paper or on a pdf, but a growing number are on video, or include a video component. Often that’s done in the form of a YouTube video, which you can use to promote your new business in ways that are not possible via paper or email. And even if your […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on April 10, 2013
Every business has to attract revenues from selling products and services, and every business plan has to describe how that will happen. Trying to figure out how to do that for your business idea? One way to approach that problem is to look at common models other companies have used, and see which ones fit […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on April 2, 2013
It’s been widely reported that the company co-founded by Michael Porter, the famous Harvard Business School professor who wrote The Book on business strategy, was forced into bankruptcy protection. We’ve written several blogs about Michael Porter’s insights. How could a business started by the guru of five-force analysis, possibly one of the most widely-adopted competitive strategy in […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on March 12, 2013
Want to start a small business, but missing some skills? Here’s one option: take some online classes, where you might learn what you need, for a fraction of the time and cost. Improve your business plan AND your business. There are 100s of web-based business classes, many of them free (open source) or for a […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on February 26, 2013
When considering whether to invest in a company, bankers and venture capitalists look first at the entrepreneur, then at the plan. They invest in people, not plans. It’s not the content of the plan that matters, but rather what it says about the entrepreneur — how she thinks, how she collects confirming and disconfirming data, how she uses […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on February 11, 2013
With the emergence of so many “social businesses,” there’s been a widening distinction made with what many people are now calling non-social businesses. The distinction is that social businesses are built around a heroic mission to make the world a better place, while their non-social cousins exist for a crass purpose — solely to make […]
[ Read More → ]
By Rolfe Larson on October 29, 2012
I’m generally not a great fan of business plan competitions, for two reasons. First, they can consume huge amounts of time often with little benefit to those who don’t win. And, unfortunately, lately they have become more about the “pitch” and less about quality research and business competitiveness. Actual success in the marketplace won’t be […]
[ Read More → ]
Rolfe Larson provides consulting and training in areas such as strategic planning, market research, feasibility analysis, business planning, marketing, and implementation strategies.