The Process – Writing Plans

1)      We talk.  You tell me about your project, its status, your goals, your reason for needing a plan, the project’s history, etc.  If you want a Non-Disclosure Agreement, this is the time to mention it.

2)      You send me the following:

-        Anything you have in writing about the product, service or business plan.

-        Any pictures you may have concerning the project or people involved in the project.

-        Bio’s or resumes of the key players

-        Any guidelines you need to follow or questions that must be specifically addressed in the plan (if applicable).  Note:  banks, the SBA and competitions often provide plan guidelines requiring that certain information be included even if it is not relevant.

3)      I review what you sent and respond with an initial list of questions.  In the case of a full or smaller plan, I will include an initial estimate of plan cost. 

4)      You respond with answers to the questions and a check or Paypal transfer.   (If you don’t have a Paypal account, I highly recommend that you get one.  It allows you to pay people like me with a credit card giving you recourse if you aren’t happy with the way you are being treated or the work performed).  If the plan is an executive summary, full payment is due up front.   If the plan is more than an Executive Summary plan, one third is now due.

5)      You may receive additional questions and information requests as the plan takes shape.  When the plan is about 2/3 finished, I will e-mail you a copy of the work done to date along with an updated plan cost estimate. 

6)      You respond with comments, questions, requested changes, etc.   Also, payment is due to bring the total amount paid up to 2/3rds the estimated total on full and smaller plan projects.

7)      When finished, I will e-mail you a draft copy of the completed report.  This is your final opportunity to make changes and comment on things you want included/excluded, etc.   I will also send you a final invoice that assumes that your corrections and changes are within normal expectations. 

8)      Upon final payment in full, I will send you a final draft of the report plus a copy of the Excel spreadsheet file used to create the financials.  The financial statements shown in the business plan are bitmap images of the Excel file and cannot be edited within the plan.  

The Process – Plan Reviews

1)  We talk.  You tell me about your project, its status, your goals, your reason for needing a plan, the project’s history, etc.  If you want a Non-Disclosure Agreement, this is the time to mention it.

2)  You send me the following:

- The business plan.

- Any supplemental information or source material I will need to understand the plan details.

- Any guidelines you need to follow or questions that must be specifically addressed in the plan (if applicable).  Note:  banks, the SBA and competitions often provide plan guidelines requiring that certain information be included even if it is not relevant.

- A check or paypal transfer for the full amount.

3)  I review what you sent and respond with an initial list of questions and/or information I need to evaluate the plan.   

4)  You respond with answers to the questions and the requested supplemental information.