Comments on: The Business Plan vs Executive Summary Debate http://www.acceleration-partners.com/blog/the-business-plan-vs-executive-summary-debate/ Small buisness advice, tips, and guidance. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:25:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Marc Brown http://www.acceleration-partners.com/blog/the-business-plan-vs-executive-summary-debate/#comment-700 Marc Brown Sun, 25 May 2008 01:27:44 +0000 http://www.acceleration-partners.com/blog/the-business-plan-vs-executive-summary-debate/#comment-700 Thanks. Great article! Thanks. Great article!

]]> By: Desmond Pieri http://www.acceleration-partners.com/blog/the-business-plan-vs-executive-summary-debate/#comment-312 Desmond Pieri Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:54:27 +0000 http://www.acceleration-partners.com/blog/the-business-plan-vs-executive-summary-debate/#comment-312 Great post. If I may add one thing, back in the days when I used to train newly-hired college grads how to write a proposal for selling a large computer system (at Burroughs, now Unisys), I’d advise that – after the 40 to 50 page proposal was done – then the real work started; now they needed to write the 3 to 4 page summary that you describe. They would always be amazed at how long writing such a short document would take. And then when they were finished with that, I’d make them write a one-page summary. Heck the recommendation to develop the 747 was made to Boeing’s CEO on a single page because that’s the longest document he’d accept across his desk. The one-pager is great because it focuses only on the real reasons why someone should do the deal – whether buying a computer, building a jetliner, or investing in your start-up. Great post. If I may add one thing, back in the days when I used to train newly-hired college grads how to write a proposal for selling a large computer system (at Burroughs, now Unisys), I’d advise that – after the 40 to 50 page proposal was done – then the real work started; now they needed to write the 3 to 4 page summary that you describe. They would always be amazed at how long writing such a short document would take.

And then when they were finished with that, I’d make them write a one-page summary. Heck the recommendation to develop the 747 was made to Boeing’s CEO on a single page because that’s the longest document he’d accept across his desk. The one-pager is great because it focuses only on the real reasons why someone should do the deal – whether buying a computer, building a jetliner, or investing in your start-up.

]]> By: Drew Hession-Kunz http://www.acceleration-partners.com/blog/the-business-plan-vs-executive-summary-debate/#comment-7 Drew Hession-Kunz Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:01:03 +0000 http://www.acceleration-partners.com/blog/the-business-plan-vs-executive-summary-debate/#comment-7 Very good article, and agree with the central theme. One clarification for the reason b-schools require the long plans- it is to think these things through completely. In an academic environment, they can't actually START the business, so the (percieved) next best way to get them thinking this through is to have them write a plan. I am an adjunct in VC at BC, and believe this is their reasoning. Maybe we should just have them start a business- it would be more productive. I have a number of students who have done just that, and they learn a GREAT deal from the experience... =Drew Very good article, and agree with the central theme.

One clarification for the reason b-schools require the long plans- it is to think these things through completely. In an academic environment, they can’t actually START the business, so the (percieved) next best way to get them thinking this through is to have them write a plan.

I am an adjunct in VC at BC, and believe this is their reasoning. Maybe we should just have them start a business- it would be more productive. I have a number of students who have done just that, and they learn a GREAT deal from the experience…

=Drew

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