Remove the Startup Blinders: The Purpose Behind Businessplan.com

How would I describe most entrepreneurs prior to launching their business? 

Borrowing a line from Neil deGrasse Tyson, they often “…know enough to think [they] are right, but not enough to know [they] are wrong.” 

This blog post is a little heart-to-heart about a movie I’ve seen too many times and a plot I’ve come to know all too well.

And yes, if you can’t tell already, I believe in tough love.

For the entrepreneur, their business idea is a blockbuster saga. My role for the past two decades? That of the producer, the background hero, and sometimes the cheerleader on the sidelines. I loved helping and often watching someone’s dream take flight because of a nudge in the right direction or a timely piece of advice. 

Absolute magic! 

And there’s nothing quite like the buzz either; it’s contagious, even addictive. I’ve been hooked on it for decades. Every “aha!” moment, every success story, fuels my love affair with entrepreneurs. 

But to say I’ve had a few moments where I’ve palmed my face would be the understatement of the century.

Oh, the frustration! 

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the times entrepreneurs have been so in love with their idea that when a giant, glaring issue waves hello, they stick their fingers in their ears and hum loudly. But they didn’t hire my firm to be their coach, confidant, professor, and, occasionally, the bearer of inconvenient truths; they hired Masterplans to write a business plan, and most of them were woefully underprepared. 

Too many times it was like watching someone about to walk into a lamppost — you want to shout “watch out!” but sometimes people need to bump their head to get the message.

Take, for example, the time a client was so set on their “revolutionary” portable data storage device that they ignored all market signals: too many competitors, a shrinking industry, and customers already migrating to newer cloud technology. They charged ahead, only to crash and burn, teaching them a very expensive lesson. These moments are not about I-told-you-so; they’re painful reminders that sometimes, love for an idea can blind the best of us. 

And I empathize. It’s a tricky balance, trying to maintain belief in your vision while keeping your ears open to the sometimes-hard-to-hear truth.

Let’s back up a bit. Let me take you down memory lane. The road to Businessplan.com began not with a sudden revelation but through decades of working with entrepreneurs.

A lot of budding entrepreneurs were coming to Masterplans with a checkbox mentality. They thought, “Need to start a business? I’m going to have to raise some money. Better tick off that business plan box.” But working with them was a different story. 

After hiring us, our initial engagements quickly exposed that many were ill-prepared. When we asked about their business model, we were met with puzzled looks more often than not. And when conversations turned to specifics like cost of goods sold (COGS) or staffing requirements, the confusion only deepened. Responses like “Isn’t that your job?” were not uncommon. It was a clear indicator that something fundamental was amiss. The truth was stark: Entrepreneurs wanted to outsource the core elements of entrepreneurship, but you cannot outsource fundamental and foundational knowledge. 

This recurring theme of unpreparedness and misunderstanding about the nature of our services, no matter how clear we were, was frustrating, not just for us but for the entrepreneurs themselves. It was a loop of misaligned expectations and unmet needs. This wasn’t a matter of intellect or capability; the entrepreneurs we worked with were undeniably smart and passionate. The crux of the issue was a lack of exposure to the essential hows and whys of transforming an idea into the viable elements needed to write a business plan.

Enter the “Jobs to be Done” theory, a game-changer that made me rethink everything. The gist? Focus not just on what products or services do, but on what jobs customers hire them to do. 

Sounds simple, right? It’s not. 

First, I turned inward, asking, “Besides the functional ‘business plan’ document, what job are entrepreneurs hiring Masterplans to do?” And boy, did that question open a can of worms. I couldn’t answer this thoroughly. I had an inkling, but to truly understand why a customer is hiring a product or service, you have to go to the customer. 

So, I dove into interviews with past clients, chats over coffee, and even some heart-to-hearts over Zoom, trying to get to the bottom of this disconnect. The feedback was a goldmine. It highlighted a gaping need for a resource that didn’t just hand over a document and say “good luck,” but one that guided entrepreneurs through the treacherous jungles of startup land. 

These revelations were both a validation of our frustrations and a clarion call to action. It became evident that the issue wasn’t just about crafting business plans but about preparing entrepreneurs for the journey ahead. They were seeking more than a document; they were looking for guidance, education, and a partner. They were looking for self-confidence, substantiation, and verification. They wanted to reduce risk, increase positive outcomes, and even get their spouses behind their idea. 

This understanding was the catalyst for creating Businessplan.com. My personal mission shifted entirely, away from writing business plans to empowering entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to lay their own solid foundation. I envisioned a platform where entrepreneurs of all backgrounds could access the resources and mentorship needed to prepare adequately before taking the plunge. By democratizing entrepreneurial education, we sought to bridge the gap between aspiration and preparedness, ensuring that every entrepreneur could embark on their journey not just with a plan, but with a comprehensive understanding of how to vet ideas, refine them, make a pivot, or even cut the cord when the evidence to do so starts to mount. And to do this before you spend hundreds of hours writing a business plan. 

In wrapping up this post, I invite you to explore the world of Businessplan.com. Designed with you in mind, our platform guides you logically from left to right, ensuring that every step taken is one step closer to your goal.

Dive into our extensive glossary for those moments when business jargon seems like a foreign language. Browse through our curated resources and news to stay ahead of the curve. Businessplan.com is your companion, designed to be kept in your back pocket.

Remember, Businessplan.com will never be “complete.” Just like the business landscape is always evolving, we intend to grow with it. And we want to hear from you! Engage with us on X or LinkedIn. We’re eager to hear your stories, insights, and experiences.