Customer Reviews

The Plan-as-You-Go Business Plan

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In my current role as a Duct Tape Marketing coach and in my former role as a CPA, I see business owners who struggle because they don't have a plan. I also see folks who create a plan because they "have to", but then they never use it - it goes on a shelf and collects dust. I've always maintained that the value from having a written plan comes from 1) going through the process and 2) using it on a regular basis to evaluate how your business is going and making adjustments as needed.

In The Plan-as-You-Go Business Plan, Tim Berry makes these points much more eloquently than I ever could. Tim argues that the planning process (along with regular reviews) is so important that business owners just need to get started somewhere, anywhere, and continue to build your plan as your needs change. This is 180 degrees different from the classical "big bang" approach to business planning where we work for months at a time developing a huge document before we ever get started working on the business.

The author has organized the book to support his "plan as you go" approach. It is designed so you can jump around and use the section of the book that you need at any given time. The first section of the book "Attitude Adjustment" contains the background information you need to know and learn to adjust to this idea of business planning as a process in your business rather than an event or milestone to be forgotten once completed.

In "The Heart of the Plan", you work on your business identity, target market, your offering(s) and your strategic focus. When I post on my blog about having a marketing plan, this is the stuff I'm talking about.

"Flesh and Bones" is the section that talks about creating action plans, budgets, milestones, and metrics.

I really like that "Dressing and Growing" is the second to the last chapter of the book because it re-emphasizes the idea that you should do the planning for yourself first, and then when others want to see the plan (your bank), you add the dressing that they need to what you have already done. Again, this is 180 degrees different from how most businesses use their business plans.

The last section talks about the process of planning. This includes reviewing, revising, and managing the plan. I think my favorite piece of Tim's advice from this book is his recommendation that the first thing you do when creating your plan is to schedule the review dates - before you even begin writing. I just think this sets exactly the right tone for part your plan should play in your business.

This book is a must have for anyone who owns a business or plans to start a business someday.

The biggest obstacle most of us face in become successful is in closing the gap between "knowing" and "doing." When it comes to starting and/or running a successful business most entrepreneurs know they should have a business plan, but statistics show very few take the time to actually write one. And truth be told, unless you are making a formal presentation of your business plan you probably don't need a complete business plan. However, you do need to plan, keep planning, evaluate, and adjust as your business grows.

That is what makes Tim Berry's The Plan As You Go Business Plan a solid read for an entrepreneur. By breaking the creation of a business plan down into 1) Heart - a business's core strategy, 2) Flesh & Bones - action plans and basic financial numbers, and 3) Dressing and Growing - bring the plan up to a full document suitable to present to potential investors, the reader is able to use the sections of the book that are most relevant to the business's current situation. As your business continues to grow, The Plan As You Go Business Plan will serve as a fantastic reference manual to make sure you are thinking about those aspects of the business necessary for growth.

Tim Berry's encouraging and uplifting writing style will give you the motivation to start, but more importantly, he will provide the insight and direction to make sure something gets done. By breaking down business speak and MBA gobbledygook and explaining important business concepts into easy to understand terminology, Mr. Berry simplifies what can be for some an overwhelming process and demystifies the business planning process for all.

I've read (or at least flipped through) a number of business planning books and what I like best about Tim Berry's book (the best I've read so far) is that it turns business planning from a pain in the neck "do I have to do this" event into a "wow - I know I can do this and I want to do this and in fact I love to do this" process.

The hallmark of the book is that business plans are NOT a one time event nor do you have to do one, in some particular standard way. But it is a plan, a guide a road map. Tim takes your hand and not only guides you but gives you plenty of resources and practical advice (like the shortest lesson in Excel I've ever seen) to make your business plan a success.

If you have NEVER started a business The Plan As You Go Business Plan is a must read. If you are already in a business the book is a must read to keep you in business. And if by chance you have started a second successful business this book will probably ensure you do even better with your newest venture.

One thing...Tim makes finances not a drudgery but something you'll come to appreciate the importance of.

Ramon Ray, Editor & Technology Evangelist, Smallbiztechnology.com

Fast, Easy & Effective? I never thought I'd use those words to describe a business plan book. As a consultant working with small business owners on startup and cash flow issues, I invariably ask the question, "Can I take a look at your business plan?" It's amazing the funny looks I get. "I think it's on my bookshelf. Or, did I take it home with me last year? It's here somewhere."

Tim Berry takes his usual realistic approach to small business issues by providing a book that breaks the whole "planning thing" down into easily understandable, immediately applicable steps.

Berry throws out the concept of a formal business plan (unless you're having what he refers to as a "business plan event") and gives us a flexible planning process that is quite painless. His writing style doesn't echo from the confines of an ivory tower. The book is an enjoyable read and highly useful.

I particularly like his emphasis on reviewing the plan regularly to check progress and adjust course accordingly. His emphasis on using metrics to track your progress is extremely helpful. In fact, I'm using his methods in my own business planning.

You all know that I believe you must plan for success in business, so you knew a business plan book had to be on the list. Tim Berry is one of the foremost experts on writing a business plan, but what I like best about Tim Berry's book is that it turns the process of business planning from this torturous "do I have to do this" event into a "I know I can do this, and in fact, I love to do this" process. I especially like that he stresses that business plans are not a one time deal and that he gives the reader options for designing their own method of pulling together the business plan. Tim also gives plenty of resources and practical advice to make your business plan a success. If you have NEVER finished or have written a business plan, The Plan As You Go Business Plan is a must read.

Melinda Emerson
Author, Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months: A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business that Works

This is a revolutionary way to write a business plan - so much easier than the traditional route!

About a decade ago I did all the academic work for an MBA in Entrepreneurship, but for the life of me couldn't write a business plan. The task was daunting and didn't seem very useful.

Thanks to Tim Barry's earth-shattering revision of this idea, his new paradigm makes Business Planning both practical and relatively easy to do, as well as a part of a person's daily business once they have it going. Even if you think business planning is not for you, you'll quickly find that it makes sense and is necessary - and inf fact you're already doing it somewhat anyway.

I think you could take this book and apply it to just about anything - including personal goal setting, household planning, church planning, and more. It really is a universal concept that he's employing here, one that should be obvious but that just hasn't been employed up to this point.

By allowing a business plan to be unbelievably small or huge - based on the size of the business and its goals- he helps you turn the business plan into something you can do quickly and yet continue to improve and expand over the longer term.

I've read a lot of these books and studied the field both formally and informally for years, and I can tell you that all the other business planning books need to be taken off the shelf and this one left alone for all current and future business owners.

Enjoy!

Tim Berry simplifies a very daunting task so that everyone who is in business or thinking about being in business can get organized and see the 'big picture'. One of the unique features of this book is that it links to it's own live website. As Tim tells us on the homepage, "Why settle for a book by itself, when together, with something like this site, we can do a lot more?"

So, you're asking, "What's a lot more?" Videos, links to current blogs on the topic and even corrections or additions to the material in the book itself.

As stated in the Preface, business planning is no longer a 'static' part of business but an ongoing creation. Tim says:

"Do as much planning as you'll be able to use. Realize that all plans will change, so think of your plan as ongoing and use it to guide your business. Expect it to change, but use the planning to keep your eyes on the long-term goals even as the details change. It's like planning a trip, for example: having the plan doesn't lock you in, it helps you keep track and revise as needed ... without losing track of the goal. Plan as you go."

I highly recommend this book for the insights and ease of use - go from cover to cover or jump in at whatever chapter is most important to you. The end result is the same, lots of help for getting that plan and getting started!

I have not yet written my own business plan for my website business (Scrapbooking Ideas Inspired) and I am learning to take a different viewpoint to the process via this book on doing your business plan as you go. The tact is that you look at your plan as evolving and something you want to review again and again, as opposed to something that is a hurdle to just get over.

Much of the advice I have heard that I read here and that is fine. But it puts a whole new meaning to "planning your business." For instance, as we are planning, change must be a factor we are ready and able to work with when it happens, such as economy.

Overall, I am pleased with the book. It seems chock full of advice and wisdom about the planning of your business.

I also like the fact that it bounces off of or leads into the software titled "Business Plan Pro."