No You Don’t Want a Blue Chip Business Plan Writer

I’m dealing with a very difficult question today. It’s about an email I received. It starts with this:

I need a blue chip Business Plan Writer. My objective is to introduce [some related] Legislation globally and then to use that legislation to [help a family member].

Obviously I’m leaving out details. I assure you it’s a good cause, a tough problem, and very hard on the writer of that email. Saying more than that is inappropriate in this case. I’d like to help.

She goes on:

It is a complex task. I do not need to borrow money and I can pay for the best Business Plan ever. I do need a Business Plan that will attract three top level legal/financial CEO’s from major business centers like London, New York, Singapore. I want a name like ‘McKinsey’ for the Business Plan and plan to use them to recruit.

But here’s the problem: I don’t think you need so-called “blue chip” business plan writing. I’d bet, without knowing for sure, that you need convincing ideas and a team to match. It’s not the words, the writing, the formatting, or the presentation of the plan that matters; it’s the content. It’s what is supposed to happen, along with who does what, when, and why, and how much it takes in time and resources?

Yes, you might need some blue-chip allies to help you give form and substance to your ideas, but if so, they aren’t business plan writers. And they aren’t management consultants. They are business and political leaders, idea influencers, and door openers.

I feel your pain, and I hope you succeed. I wish I had better advice to offer.

(Image: Tom McNemar/Shutterstock)

Comments

  • JayTurn says:

    Thanks for the excellent response Tim. That approach makes perfect sense. I might need to purchase some new reading material over the next few weeks 😉

  • Tim Berry says:

    Jay, interesting comment, thanks. I think the business plan ought to be part of planning. Like steering, it has a sense of navigation and long-term direction, but is also always changing. The early planning is mostly idea documentation and feasibility, which helps explain what’s what to bring new people, and as the new people come on board, the plan is changing to reflect the ideas and the situation changing. The plan documents that get thrown off at various times for convenience are not the plan, they are just outputs. That’s the thinking that’s core to my plan-as-you-go business planning. Tim

  • JayTurn says:

    That brings up a certain chicken and the egg situation Tim. Unless the people you are building the business with are friends, it is likely you will need the business plan to get the team together.

    Do you build the business plan to attract the main players in the team and re-write it after you have the team so it better suits the CEO’s of the major business centers? What are your thoughts on that?

  • Jake P says:

    As a professional writer, I totally concur with your sentiments here, Tim. Silk purses from pigs ears, chickens out of chicken you-know-what, cocktail napkin diagrams…I can’t perform the kind of alchemy needed to turn that into a rockin’ business plan, much as I’d like to (and much as I’ve tried on occasion).

Leave a Reply to JayTurn Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *