Page 9 - Business Plans that Work A Guide for Small Business

viii • Preface

planning process. Also, each chapter will illustrate the concepts by high-
lighting Lazybones, an actual company that was planned and launched
and is currently operating. The key feature of this section is the comments
in the margins that point out various aspects of the plan that are good
and others that need work. As you progress through the book, you will
become familiar not only with the process but also with the Lazybones
opportunity.
A word of caution: Your business plan will vary from the Lazybones
plan in many ways. While there is a consistent core to the business plan-
ning process, each company has a unique story. The nature of your com-
petitive advantages and the emphasis of each component of your business
plan will vary from Lazybones and every other start-up.
As you begin this exciting adventure in the world of entrepreneur-
ship or as you take a second look at your current business, we hope you
look at this as a process, not a single event or transaction. The com-
pleted business plan is only one step in the journey. There are many more
steps that will have you continually shaping, adjusting, and rewriting the
plan. The important message of this book is the idea that the business
planning process is one of learning, growing, and becoming an expert
in your industry. Going through the process helps you anticipate the
future and thereby save time and money. This is a high-yield investment
in your future success. Internalize this way of thinking and you will move
beyond the failure rule and hit the thresholds that lead to success and
value creation.
We hope you will find this book useful as you embark on your life in
entrepreneurship. Good luck.

A special note

This book was originally coauthored with Jeffry Timmons. Jeff passed
away a few years ago, but his influence remains powerful. He was an
accomplished entrepreneur, a brilliant scholar and teacher, and a dear
friend.