New Venture Lab: Equipping Christian Entrepreneurs

Question

What is the most effective media to share your business plan through?

Answer

It depends on the use of the business plan.  If the plan is for your own use, then I would stick more with an Excel spreadsheet with the detailed financial model and also a detailed project list outlining your launch plan.  If the plan is to try to get financing for your plan, then I personally like a PowerPoint business plan that is concise and to the point and no more than 10 - 20 slides.  Of course you should have a detailed Excel spreadsheet financial model, but I would only cut and paste the highlights into the PowerPoint.  If you are very detail oriented and really like to memorialize all of your research and ideas, a Word document laying out all the key parts of the plan is the ticket.  If you want to really test the quality of your business plan, then I recommend the Venture Analysis.

Download an example PowerPoint business plan here, a presentation on how to start a business here, a Word-based startup business plan here and a business plan for an existing business here.