Several people sent me links to enloop, a new business plan template site. I spent a couple of hours playing with it this weekend. I thought it was pretty much the same as all the other business plan websites.
To do a proper business plan, the Sequoia Capital site gives the best outline here. I have used this outline for years in my classes and workshops. This outline highlights the key questions to answer. By the nature of the questions posed on the right hand side of the page, one realizes that a template is not likely to be useful in preparing a description.
The other major failing in most templates is that there is inadequate attention to developing the revenue assumptions in order to understand the growth drivers in the business. My book provides considerable detail on how to develop revenue assumptions and understand growth drivers. The absence of the detail also prevents the preparer from demonstrating their business logic.
