Several important questions that every entrepreneur should ask:

Q. Aside from raising angel or venture capital, how will a business plan help me?

It is an excellent planning tool. A good business plan sets measurable milestones, and then delineates the supporting strategies, tactics and actions necessary to meet those milestones. It sets concrete goals, and assigns tasks to people or groups responsible for those goals. A well-written business plan does not sit on a shelf; rather, it is a living document that is revised as your company grows or the market changes. Consider it your compass, guiding you to success.

It is an excellent sales tool. While the majority of business plans are devveloped to raise investment
capital, they are equally useful in selling your vision to partners, key customers, and new hires. This is
particularly important for new companies without a track record. Further, along with your business plan, we will help you develop financial models, an executive summary, an investor pitch deck, a mission
statement, and an 'elevator pitch', effectively arming you with the tools you need to grow your business.

Q. Why is a business plan so critical to my success?

It provides clarity, purpose, and efficiency. Writing a business plan is as much about the process as it is about the final, printed document. It is a logical and organized method of examining all critical components of your business. Through rigorous analytical techniques, we determine your company's positioning, differentiation, sales channel strategy, target market, and capital needs before spending your money (or your investor's capital). The process is designed to save costs and reduce risks; honing the model at the outset reduces time, money, and frustration down the road.

It gets to the core of what makes your company great. When we write a business plan, significant energy is spent on determining exactly what sets your business apart-- your initial competitive advantage. Next, we formulate strategies designed to turn it into long-term, sustainable competitive advantage. By expressing your LTSCA in a clear and lucid manner, understood by all readers, we go a long way towards raising your company's valuation.

It leaves no stone unturned. Just as we determine your strengths, the business planning process also uncovers your company's weaknesses. By shining a spotlight on problem areas, we can then form strategies to overcome such weaknesses — before they become a deal (or company) killer.

Q. So what makes VentureArchetypes' business plans better?

They are thorough, realistic, and grounded in fact. Professional investors can smell bulls**t from miles
away, and there is nothing that will move your plan to the recycle bin faster than unsubstantiated claims.
Our business plans are supported by realistic data, extensive research, and market validation. We are skilled at modeling the variables inherent in your business, and forming detailed, logical assumptions.

They answer questions before they are asked. A good plan anticipates what investors or partners will
want to see, and meets concerns with well thought out responses. We have screened hundreds of
business plans, pitched to dozens of professional investors, and possess screening tools used by top
venture and angel groups. We know what raises a red flag. Being able to alleviate concerns before they
arise goes a long way to securing a second meeting with an investor or corporate development officer.

They are compelling. A business plan isn't worth the paper it's printed on if it doesn't get read. A good
plan is well-written; it draws the reader in, lays out an attractive opportunity in a logical manner, and
ultimately, leads to action. We are published writers, with over 40 articles under the belt. Simply put, our
plans get read-- and they lead to results.

Q. I have a Web 2.0 startup. Do I need a business plan?

The short answer? It depends. Many web startups can get by just fine by focusing on product development, rapid iteration, and customer adoption, and by putting together a simple package to present the idea to investors. We have some thoughts on this topic; click here for more information.

Q. What does this cost?

Less than you might think. We're not the cheapest-- but we are the best. In contrast to many low-cost business planning shops, we will never: i) subcontract your plan to students; ii) outsource your business plan overseas; iii) re-use generic 'templates' and force your business plan to fit. (We have re-written enough of our competitors' plans to know all the tricks in the book.)

Instead, each VentureArchetypes business plan is handled by a dedicated and highly experienced consultant with significant startup, domain, and strategic planning experience. We have been serving high-growth startups for over a decade, and our track record is the reason attorneys, VCs, and previous clients recommend us again and again.

Our focus is on helping you achieve your fund-raising, business development and growth goals, and we work collaboratively with you toward this end. We sit down with you or hold a free initial consultation over the phone to assess your needs and goals, and we carefully review any existing materials you might have. Based on this consultation, we craft a detailed proposal that fits within your budget. In certain cases, we will accept a portion of the total fee in equity or on a deferred basis.

We offer a variety of bundled business plan packages that fit most any budget. In addtion, a la carte financial models, presentations, research, strategic advisory and other services are available on a day-rate or retained basis. Please inquire. We are dedicated to continuing our tradition of exceeding client expectations and delivering true value for the money. Extensive client testimonials and referrals are available.

In this business, you definitely "get what you pay for." After all, for our clients, launching a startup is often the fulfilment of a life-long goal, and they view our fees as an investment in its future growth and success.

Q. What is your business plan consulting process like?

We start by reviewing your current situation, and then we explore where you want to go-- what are your goals, aspirations, and desires for this business? Do you intend to bootstrap or raise capital? If so, are you aiming for angel investors, VCs, or strategic partners as funding sources? How big do you want this company to be, and how fast do you want to grow?

Next, we engage in a period of information-gathering. We collect and review all the information pertinent to your business-- articles, links, research reports, and if available, any existing presentations or models. We filter this material and do our own digging where there are holes or gaps.

Based on the information gathered, we construct a set of topics and due diligence questions customized around your business. We put a significant amount of work into 'coming up with the right questions', as we have found that digging deep into your business model on the front end is the best way to produce an excellent work product down the line.

Next, we hold a series of Strategy Sessions with your team (and with your advisors or other persons as applicable). In these Strategy Sessions, we act as advisor, problem solver, and sounding board. We view the discussion through the lens of a critical investor-- often the target audience-- and we work closely with you to come up with solid strategies and tactics for growing your business.

Once we've explored your business, the opportunities and threats, and the tactical and strategic plans from multiple angles, we go into writing and modeling mode. We develop working drafts of the business plan, financial model, and pitch deck, and then hold a few more Strategy Sessions with you to polish and refine the materials.

Finally, we take a step back from the materials and review them again with a critical eye. We look to bolster the assumptions, remedy any red flags, and tighten up the documents so they are crisp and compelling-- and ready for you to use to achieve your goals.

For a basic outline of our business planning approach, please view this posting on our blog, SeedStageCapital.com.

Q. And finally, why should we partner with VentureArchetypes?

We have been advising startups and writing business plans professionally for over ten years. We have worked in venture capital, investment banking, and technology M&A, and have started several successful companies of our own. In our consulting, we have been advisors or interim management at numerous technology, Internet, software, consumer product and retail companies in a wide variety of capacities. We have screened hundreds of plans, and pitched in front of audiences of four to 200 around the country. Further, we write business plans that get results-- our success rate is among the best in the industry.

In short, we are passionate about early stage companies-- we are 'startup junkies'-- and it shows in our work.

We are trustworthy, reliable, and easy to work with. We maintain the strictest levels of privacy, and
clients always retain full ownership of the work product created. We truly enjoy working with entrepreneurs and helping them achieve their dreams. Please see our Testimonials and Values pages as well.

We bring more to the table than just a great business plan. We have deep relationships with hundreds of venture capitalists, angel investors, and investment bankers in Silicon Valley and in other startup-centric communities such as New York, Boston, Austin, and LA, enabling the coveted "warm referral." In addition, we maintain a proprietary database of over 2000 strategic, financial, and early-stage investors.

With a solid business plan and presentation in place, we help you gain introductions and will coach you
through the entire investment process.

Your success is our success. Contact us today to learn how we can help.

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