Comments on: Drafting Failure: Lessons in Business Planning

By: cali

cali — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:36:45 +0000

Thanks much, Tim.

I’m learning about not being a lone wolf. :)

Enjoyed reading your FAILweek post, too. In fact, I really enjoy your blog. Just subscribed to it.

By: Tim Bursch

Tim Bursch — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:09:09 +0000

Cali,
Great failure! I hear you on turning in your not-the-best work. It’s hard to do great work.

I appreciate your lessons. It’s easy to try and do everything on our own. Good (duh) reminder on asking people around us for help.

Thanks for sharing your story!
Tim

By: cali

cali — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:13:15 +0000

Hi Susan – thank you so much for stopping by. I’m right there with you, and I was prepared for the possibility that my plan not might be viable. Business-planning certainly is growth-filled process. To say the least. :)

“Applying discipline to dreams” Wow…that’s a beautiful thing to remember. Thank you for your well wishes and thoughts!

By: cali

cali — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:09:59 +0000

Thanks, Jason. I am so grateful you included me in your celebrating failure project.

I’ve been in this space only a few times, as well. It does NOT feel good. But you make an excellent point (as always!): redeeming yourself if the opportunity is there (or creating that opportunity) is critical.

By: Susan Passmore

Susan Passmore — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:41:19 +0000

I made a mid-course correction in my business plan class (two weeks into a summer quarter). Fortunately for the procrastinator in me, our professor required everyone to turn in a draft section or two of the plan every week. Still, there was always the possibility of getting through all the research and analysis and finding out your plan was not viable. For me, it was/is a fluid document — and a helpful process to come back to for applying discipline to dreams.

Good luck!

By: Jason Markow

Jason Markow — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:52:21 +0000

Been there, done that. I want to say that I have only been in this position (delivering less than my best) no more than a handful of times, but I may be forgetting some. What I did not forget about all the experiences is that not once did I feel good about it, not once did I “pull the wool over their eyes”, and not once did I fail to redeem myself if the opportunity presented itself.

Your head is in the right place. Here is to drafting to success!

t(h)ink on.

Jason

By: cali

cali — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:39:38 +0000

Living document —> absolutely.

Thanks for your $.02…keep on throwin’ it into the pot! :)

By: Aaron Templer

Aaron Templer — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:12:00 +0000

Yes – us Denverites have to stick together. Looking forward to meeting you.

Something that wasn’t emphasized enough in my courses (maybe they were in yours): a business plan (much like a website or a blog post) should never be complete. It’s a living document. Use it as you need it, dial it in when you need to (like when you need funding).

Just more of my $.02.

By: cali

cali — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:33:17 +0000

Aaron, thank you for your insight.

You know, I wanted to make this already-too-long post MUCH longer to include more of the nuances of my experience, but I had to cut a lot out for sake of boring people. ;)

You’re right–mid-course corrections are an inherent part of the process, and not being adaptable is completely, wholly absurd. The actual process of writing the plan necessitates making smart decisions using the research and data collected. Thus the point of writing a plan (versus jumping in headfirst and naked).

In fact, my instructor was very aware that a 16-week semester wouldn’t be “enough” for most of us and that there would be MANY revisions throughout the writing process. She did a thorough job of preparing us for the process. I was fortunate to be in a business school course that was entirely practical–there was always emphasis on the real-world, down-in-the-trenches aspects of planning. I don’t blame the program nor the course; this really was on ME. Between managing my time (and I had a TON of it) poorly, pushing off quite a bit of vital work until the last minute, and thinking I could go it alone (without asking for help), I really did seal my own entrepreneurial fate.

Now I’m no longer constrained by a semester or a grade…I can work on the plan as much as I want. Exciting and nerve-wracking all at once. But mostly exciting. :)

Thanks again for taking time to share–it really means the world to me.

And you’re in Denver! Hopefully we’ll have the chance to meet sometime.

By: cali

cali — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:14:19 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts, Michael. You’re absolutely right. Recalling the discussion (albeit brief!) that we had, now I’m glad I didn’t show you my biz plan. ;) Only for the reason that I KNEW it wasn’t solid. Though I still would like to bounce ideas off of you because I respect how straight-forward and acute you are.

And the last three points? YES! That shall become my new business mantra.

I really appreciate your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by.