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Pre-Planning Process

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Smart entrepreneurs face reality head on: 20% of new ventures fail in year one, and by year five, over half are gone, overwhelmingly due to poor financial planning, lack of product-market fit, and flawed management of operations.

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Shaping Your Business’s Foundation

In the thrilling early stages of transforming a new idea into a viable strategy, the initial blueprint of your venture paves the way for its long-term success.

“Most new businesses, even when they successfully raise capital, struggle in their early stages due to a lack of solid foundational planning.”

This realization inspired Brent Butler, a startup planning expert with over two decades leading a premier Inc. 500 firm, to create Businessplan.com and introduce our Pre-Planning Process. This approach is designed to equip entrepreneurs with the critical framework needed to address issues in financial planning, product-market fit, and operational management.

Strategic Framework

More than Preparation and Planning

The Pre-Planning Process is a strategic framework born from real-world experience, designed to minimize early-stage pain. It's about ensuring your business idea is not only innovative but also validated, viable, and sustainable in the real world.
A Focus On Market Realities

Strong Foundation

By learning the principles of the Pre-Planning Process, you won’t just plan a business; you’ll lay the groundwork for a venture that is resilient, well-thought-out, and ready to thrive.
Supporting Your Venture from Concept to Reality

The Goal of Pre-Planning

It's about ensuring your business idea is validated, viable, and sustainable in the real world.
“Our goal with the Pre-Planning Process is to help guide founders' innovative ideas towards becoming successful, enduring businesses, and to address a critical issue—the high rate of business failure.”
Over half of startups fail within the first five years; failures strain marriages, friendships, and financial stability. Our approach is about minimizing risks and maximizing potential. Through Pre-Planning, and across our ever growing website, we offer tools and a pathway to resilience, stability, and success. Every step you take in Pre-Planning is a step towards a future where your business thrives, and your personal well-being is safeguarded.

Goals of the Pre-Planning Process

Navigating Early Challenges

Our process illuminates potential missteps in the initial stages, guiding your venture away from common pitfalls and towards a clear, well-planned path.

Clear Stakeholder Communication

Robust Pre-Planning enhances your ability to effectively communicate your vision and strategy, building trust and support with investors, partners, and customers.

Financial Clarity

By accurately assessing your financial requirements, we help balance your startup and operational costs, avoiding the risks of under or overfunding, and setting a sustainable financial course.
A Step-by-Step Framework

The Pre-Planning Process: Six Key Steps

The steps of the Pre-Planning Process are meant to be followed in order. This sequence ensures a thorough and systematic approach to turning your business idea into a robust and viable venture.

Unlock the key to your business’s success by truly understanding your customers. In the Know Your Customer section, we introduce Pre-Vision Interviews, a powerful method for uncovering the intricate motivations behind every buyer's choice by getting to know the customers of your competitors. It's about understanding what customers want and why they want it. Master this technique to ensure your concept resonates deeply and has a clear value proposition.
Learn More about Pre-Vision Interviews
Mapping Motivations: Know Your Customer
Before you develop your business model, design your operational plan, or raise money, gain a preliminary understanding of the costs. Core Cost Analysis helps you evaluate the investment needed to deliver your core offering; it helps you make informed decisions before committing fully. Understand these financial aspects early and prevent overextension, ensuring your business idea is financially viable.
Begin Your Cost Analysis Work
The Finances of Value: Core Cost Analysis
Dive into the interactive and fluid process of Business Model Development where nothing is static and every component is open to brainstorming and adaptation. Map out and adjust the elements that will define your business: from value propositions to customer segments and key resources. We guide you through a flexible, structured exploration, allowing you to iterate and refine in real time. Use this phase to creatively and critically examine every aspect of your business idea.
Start Shaping Your Business Model
Brainstorming & Blueprints: Business Model Development
Take a deep dive into the intricate workings of your venture with our Operations in Detail section. Dissect the core elements of your operations by employing a range of exercises and techniques tailored to your unique needs. From Process Mapping and Customer Journey Mapping to Tech Stack Evaluation, we guide you through a comprehensive exploration of how your key activities, resources, and partners integrate and interact. Ensure each component works together seamlessly for maximum effect.
Explore Your Operational Details
Mastering the Mechanics: Operations in Detail
With your business components mapped out, dive into Startup and Operational Costs. In this essential phase you assess the financial requirements needed to launch and sustain your business. Here, we guide you through analyzing initial expenses and asset purchases needed to open your doors and the ongoing operational cost to support its growth.
Calculate Your Business Costs
Set Your Budget: Startup & Operational Costs
In the Securing Funding section, we venture into the critical task of identifying and understanding the myriad options for raising the capital your business requires. Ensure you approach the right funding sources that align with the type and stage of your venture. We guide you through the nuances of different funding avenues, from angel investors and venture capital to grants and loans. Understanding these distinctions early on saves you time, energy, and resources, and positions you to present a compelling case.
Explore Your Funding Options
Raising Capital: Funding Options


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