The Best Business Plan Tool for Startups!

If you've ever started a business, been involved with a Startup, or know somebody who has; a business plan in a static state is good for a matter of days. It is not that the process of planning is bad. It is that fact that things in the business world change at warp speed. I recently found a solution to this problem that I am going to share in the post below. Recently I came across a tool called www.fundingroadmap.com . In their own words they are a "..fast and easy multiple choice planning platform built in the cloud." So....what does that mean? It means it has never been easier to build a business plan. It means it shows you everything you need to take your idea and put some meat to it. It means that when you show this to an investor it shows you know what the hell you're doing.

Why the cloud for a Startup business plan? Ever been working on a doc and need someone to add to it? This tool allows you to always have the most current version ready for anyone in the company or a potential angel or venture capital investor. Instead of emailing a pdf, you can now email a secure login and password (that you control) to an investor and they have everything they need in its current form, ready to go! Instant global access for review by investors, secure online storage in case of fire or natural disaster. A feature more important now,then ever before.

Video in your Startup business plan. Huh? Yep, you heard me. Funding Road map allows you to insert a short video right in the start of your plan. Think about it, you can how put your 90 second to 3 minute pitch right in the beginning. This gets the investor interested. Of course they'll have questions after viewing the video. Now with Funding Road map they can just click on the link to go to the piece of information they need in the business plan to do the correct amount of due diligence to report back to their peers and get you the funding you need to start your business.

TIME SAVER when making your Startup business plan. Alright. You fill out all your info. You have your plan ready to go. You're counting the days till your business gets the funding it needs. But, is your Startup business plan compliant? How do you know? An oversight on your part could take those expectations of business funding an shatter them.

Problem alarms indicate when information is incorrect or out of compliance. Automatically populates other fields with pertinent information, cutting data entry time.Try doing that with a pdf template! You know that whole change dilemma we were talking about earlier? Well, in this tool, you make a change in one financial statement of the plan, it will update all of the other relevant fields . For instance. I make an sales figure change on one sheet. It will update all the other areas to reflect the potential change in revenue. YOU GROW- IT GROWS. You change and morph, it changes and morphs.

If you are looking for an easy solution to create a business plan for your Startup or entrepreneurial venture and don't' want to spend a fortune (only $60!), Funding Road Map is the answer.

Visit them today at www.fundingroadmap.com 

---EXTRA CONTENT---

I contacted the CEO of this innovative company and asked her to write up a few sentences on why she created it.  The below paragraphs are her words:

"I believe in the people who invent and start great businesses, who struggle every day to make their ideas become a reality.

I created the Funding Roadmap TM to markedly improve their odds of success and contribute to a new, reality-based economic recovery.

Especially now, enhancing access to capital for small and growing businesses matters to us and to the health of the global economy, that’s why I am committed to providing the best networked online business planning and reporting solution to help achieve the goals of entrepreneurs, investors and lenders alike.

I couldn't have imagined that the online launch of the Funding Roadmap TM would coincide with the most profound economic crisis of our lifetime, but here we are, and as a world full of investors and lenders look to reboot, we're here to provide an innovative, networked solution for funding professionals and entrepreneurs alike. Now everyone looking for transparency and defensible information have a timely scalable new cloud based platform that accelerates business planning, due diligence, and funding.

It is standardized, simple to use and features a video pitching platform, a document repository and deal flow marketplace so entrepreneurs will have an online medium to brilliantly communicate all the essential data - along with their personal passion and commitment."

Ruth. E. Hedges is the creator of  Fundingroadmap.com. As CEO she's responsible for overseeing and directing all facets of the Company's development and operations. Ruth has an executive managerial track record spanning over 27 years, in sales, marketing, and strategic development. She has been featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy as well as the New York Times, the LA Times and People Magazine for her work with Oxfam America and the Hollywood Hunger Banquets. She was also once featured on ABC's Home Show, and the Financial News Network did a two-part series on her for their show entitled 'American Entrepreneur'.

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Social Enterprise is a Blend of Business Acumen

Chris Pelley  

Chris Pelley is managing director of Capital Investment Management which embraces the Japanese proverb: “None of us are as smart as all of us.” In addition Pelley views social entrepreneurship as a meaningful endeavor.  Social enterprise is a blend of business acumen where more purpose equals more efficiency, more effectiveness and more sustainability.

The triple bottom line of company, children and charity increases profits.  Chris Pelley’s view on social enterprise derives from a unique source, his daughters.

Get Ready.

Becoming involved in social enterprise is simple and accessible.  Knowledge is key and available.  Ask youth about concerns in their lives to get a feel for what is going on or ask your alma mater about how becoming a social entrepreneur.  Also, reading “Encore,” by Marc Freedman and “Thanks,” by Robert Emmons will give insight, social awareness into becoming better human beings.

Get Set.

To experience life at a different level add a social entrepreneurship element to your business strategy.  Employees are the best PR there for bottom line results.  A way to do this is helping employees find what their next venture will be within the company’s social enterprise.

GO!

Association for Corporate Growth, ACG is about a community for small to medium companies.  The ACG promotes communication, community and collaboration with the academic, business and citizen sector.  Kim Jordon, from New Belgium which has 100 percent of the company’s energy coming from solar power will be a speaker at ACG’s December 6th, 2011 luncheon.  For more information, visit; www.acg.org.

More social enterprise opportunities can be found at the following websites:

  1. www.projectpave.org
  2. TiE is a global network with a commitment to changing the world, (www.tie.org).
  3. Colorado Gives Day- Tuesday, December 6th, 2011, (www.givingfirst.org). Website offers a chance to give to nonprofits.
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Bruce DeBoskey

Bruce DeBoskey is a Colorado-based Philanthropic Advisor, helping businesses to develop philanthropic strategies.

He gave up a career as a successful trial lawyer for 25 years to focus on giving. As Bruce describes, he was going to battle each day for things that only mattered to the people involved, until he decided he wanted to be involved in something with a broader impact.

Now he encourages businesses to to connect their core competencies in their giving. It is advice that all of us can use when it comes to our holiday giving.

WHY WE GIVE All donors need a strategy for their giving, and it should be something in line with what we value. The place to start is your reason for giving; is it theologically based? For ego gratification? Or to create a legacy, so that the things you care about can continue? If you are considering your business' philanthropy, consider your goal. Are you giving to engage employees, to gain customer loyalty or satisfy shareholders? Realize that pleasing shareholders is a legitimate concern for a business. After all, while we all recognize that philanthropy is for the greater good, business is business to make a profit so it is reasonable to invest in your community, your customers, your supply chain to both improve your surroundings and your bottom line. Likewise, unless you can provide evidence to your shareholders that the company's charitable giving impacts the bottom line, you have failed your fiduciary duty.

HOW WE GIVE

The options for making charitable contributions are innumerable.

One way to narrow things down is a Giving Circle. ( http://www.givingcircles.org/) There are 800 Giving Circles in the United States and about a dozen in Colorado alone. The Giving Circle is a way to come together and make a greater impact by researching topics and investing with others.

Families can determine their giving as a part of their holiday traditions. DeBoskey suggests looking around your home to determine if you and your children have enough stuff. If you find that you do, consider foregoing a holiday gift exchange and pool the money you would otherwise spend and give it to a worthy cause. Make it a family discussion of your values and determine what cause becomes a part of your family mission.

Bruce DeBoskey writes about giving at The Denver Post in his weekly column "On Philanthropy". You can learn more about philanthropy with a purpose at www.deboskeygroup.com.

Cristin Tarr

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BranchOut

 

BranchOut opens avenues in job matching.  They are about connecting people with career opportunities.  With three million job posts and 20,000 internship opportunities it is no wonder that there are 1 million users on BranchOut.  80 percent of jobs are found through connections within networks.  BranchOut is a network within a network for job seekers and recruiters.  It’s all about whom you know and who knows you.  November 11th is Veterans Day and BranchOut will has tools to translate military jobs skills into civilian job skills.  BranchOut also provides networking, referrals for hiring, sales leads and collaborative partners.  Being a network within Facebook allows the tapping into friends and friends of friend’s networks making degrees of separation to a job less degrees away.  Facebook has 800 million users so BranchOut’s networking possibilities are stunning.  The products BranchOut provides to sales and recruiters are: 1. Job posting; 2. Career connect and; 3. Recruiter connect.  Some users have found their ideal job, higher paying jobs, and leverage in having their network.  For more information, visit: www.branchout.com.

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Good Company Convergence with Laurie Bassi

Laurie Bassi  

Laurie Bassi lead author of Good Company, takes an in-depth look into the worthiness era.  The worthiness era is a convergence of economic, social and political forces requiring companies to be better employers, sellers and stewards of community and environment in order to make more profits.

Good Company systematically compiled information on the Fortune 100 and dispersed grades; A through F.  Good company index focuses on going beyond social responsibility.  Companies who use their core capabilities to make contributions to community and society are good companies such as Disney and FedEx who earned A’s.

Consumers require and buy more from a good company so the good guys make more money than the bad guys.  At the micro level power shifts show technology fueled people power which forces companies to be better.  To be good a company must be simultaneously caring, exacting and inspiring for example boards of directors should be involved and know about all levels in a company.

Go to www.glassdoor.com to see into that which is normally blocked and discover employee reviews about what it is like to work in 100,000 companies.  Salaries and interview processes are shared.  Also, www.wratings.com shows consumer experiences on 4000 companies.

Book signing:

November 15th

12:00P.M.

Barnes and Noble Downtown Denver

Also available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Berrett Koehler Publishers

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Trade Wind Program

BillBurwellBlairWoodring  

Bill Burwell, director of the U.S. Commercial Service in Baltimore, MD and Blair Woodring of Custom Alloys were guests on Connect and Collaborate with ICOSA radio.  Together they shared the robust opportunities of participating in the Trade Winds program offered by the U.S. Commercial Service.   The Trade Winds Forum connects business to exporting opportunities.   For information on the Trade Winds program, visit: http://export.gov/pennsylvania/tradewinds.  The program is geared towards senior executives such as CEOs and vice presidents.  Up to 300 people are present at Trade Winds conferences making networking with both U.S. and foreign companies possible and are held in the exporting region.

Gold Key services are available at Trade Wind conferences.  Starting at $700 for small to medium sized companies the USCS will screen, verify and arrange meetings with qualified companies.  Even though only one in 100 U.S. companies export this federally funded program results in 100 million in sales overall for companies who have been part of Trade Winds.

Blair Woodring of Customs Alloys sees value in exporting with the U.S. Commercial Service due to the competitiveness and the U.S. Commercial Service brand.  He recommends the Trade Wind program for not being a typical government service but one with extreme customer service and commitment to success.

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Become a Sustainable Company.

Pete Dignan Executive Director of CORE  

To get your business connected and ready to take action join Connected Organizations for a Responsible Economy (CORE).  This business association is dedicated to making your business sustainable in Denver, CO.  Pete Dignan, executive director of CORE advises businesses to find similar associations in any city by searching the Internet for keywords such as, “business, sustainability, (insert your location)” and associations in your area will generate.  A CORE membership allows companies to unload their sustainability baggage and determine specific actions to become sustainable.  This covers the areas of energy and materials use as well as community engagement.  For example Molson Coors calculates its carbon foot print, by calling it their “beer print.” They realize that 88 percent of customers are looking for companies practicing sustainability.

Colorado is leading the nation in having the most “green” companies.  Following the triple bottom line of people, plan and profit is not a partisan issue.  Everyone can follow these four steps:

  1. Asses your sustainability
  2. Set sustainable goals
  3. Engage employees
  4. Report progress

CORE can help companies identify the four steps.  Being completely sustainable is possible.  NREL in Colorado actually produces more energy than they consume.  There model is one to aspire to.  For more information, visit: www.corecolorado.org.

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Energy 101 with Kelly de la Torre

Kelly de la Torre Access to power is key and we are so very plugged into it.  U.S. consumers need to realize consumption has global affects.  Think of every plastic object and know oil energy probably powered its creation.

Energy production has a bad reputation of harming the environment even though regulatory practices are enforced to protect it.  “Fracking is the process of initiating and subsequently propagating a fracture in a rock layer, by means of a pressurized fluid, in order to release petroleum, natural gas, coal seam gas, or other substances for extraction,” Charlez, Philippe A. (1997), Rock Mechanics. This process can have detrimental environmental implications.

To learn more about energy regulatory practices, visit the Rocky Mountain Energy Blog: http://rmenergyblog.blogspot.com.  Blogger and energy sector attorney, Kelly de la Torre, blogs about energy regulation, energy innovations in wind, solar, geothermal, hydro and biofuel.  De la Torre believes collaboration involving all energy sectors is needed to maintain and support both consumption now and the expected doubling energy needs that will come with year 2030.

Energy production is an issue at the forefront―consequently so is the energy grid.  Discussions on grid accommodations and security such as cyber-attacks, pipeline security and energy transmission are needed.

Leaner energy users are considered a 5th fuel.  Innovation will propel us forward, says de la Torre.  Tough issues in innovations using garbage, biofuels, wind, solar and geothermal need to be collaboratively worked so that energy is sustainable.

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Cathey McClain Finlon’s Career Lessons

Cathey McClain Finlon  

Determine if a company’s mission matches your vision and values.  Early in her career Cathey McClain Finlon did just that.

Finlon’s expertise in matching vision and values is found in reviewing the following:

 

 

  1. “For things to change, I have to change.” In growing the McClain Finlon advertising agency to Ad Age Top 100 U.S. agencies responsibilities were given to those who were trained.  It is a challenge to give up things to other people as a company grows.
  2. Spend time working with industry and community boards to build skills and let those skills flow into the company, (Finlon spent 30 percent of her time on boards).
  3. Mentors pick you, and you earn their mentorship.  People who identify themselves as serious doers are chosen to be mentored.  “Show me your friends and I will show you, you,” Finlon.
  4.  Unbalanced work and home make life rich and full.  Unbalance is fun and intense which can allow you to achieve more.
  5. Work harder than the next person, leave no rock unturned.
  6. Check fear at the gate; don’t let it run your business.
  7. Run, don’t walk from bad work situations.
  8. Be optimistic.
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Exporting: ThinkGlobal Inc., Commercial News USA and First Priority Emergency Vehicles

Greg Sandler is president of ThinkGlobal Inc. which publishes Commercial News USA.  An instant download and free subscription is available online, at: www.thinkglobal.us.  The Commercial News USA connects U.S. companies with international businesses to export American products and services.  The magazine is distributed to embassies across the world.  The Commercial News USA’s circulation is 95 percent outside the U.S.  ThinkGlobal also host the USA Export Expo, an online, virtual expo that connects exporters and buyers, www.usaexportexpo.com.  This amplified expo provides connections to overseas markets, an auditorium with featured topics and industries, a learning center, a networking lounge and a media library. USA Export Expo provides all the traditional expo services at a cost savings as well as qualified leads.  The expo’s focus is different each week, for example one week will focus on the automotive industry, and then followed by franchise the next week.  

Robert Freeman, president of First Priority Emergency Vehicles is one of America’s leading exporters of emergency response units. The Commercial News USA brings creditability to doing business overseas.  The Commercial News USA is partnered with the U.S. government so that gives exporters validation.  Freeman advices companies wanting to export:

  1. Start incrementally
  2. Grow a good reputation
  3. Build business.  It might start slow with a few orders at first but it is still building. And keep with it to see success.
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PROCESS WILL SET YOU FREE!

 

 

 

Jeanne Brown, Chair of the Board of Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence (RMPEx) helps organizations improve performance and achieve results through the Baldridge criteria. She is a quality management and performance excellence professional with more than 30 years of leadership experience in the high technology and utilities industries.  Three simple steps to freedom are defining, writing down, and keeping current the process.  Robert Galvin of Motorola said, “To get the process exactly right is going to be cheaper and it is going to be better.” He received one of the first Malcolm Baldrige Awards.  “Common knowledge grows the entire organization towards the goal of excellence,” say Brown.  This can be accomplished by having a central repository that is accessible to anyone.  The bottom line is that, “taking time, money and materials out of the process and streamlining them but still maintaining a high level of quality and service for customers will increase profits,” Brown.

These 12 steps are good reasons to document, provided by Jeanne Brown:

  1. Establishes a Baseline from which to improve - this creates a point of reference for where you are now and which direction you need to go to improve your process.
  2. Streamlines and standardizes training - when the process is clearly defined, training is easy, and everybody is doing the job the same way.
  3. Keeps everyone current - in a document control system, there is revision control that assures everyone is using the most recent document.
  4. Captures subject matter expertise for the benefit of all – it is important to capture expertise from knowledgeable individuals.
  5. Assures smoother transition during change - proper documents provide a stable foundation when people move to other jobs or organizations.
  6. Frees up time & energy for innovation & creativity - once you have the basic directions, you and others will be able to look at ways to move forward rather than spend time learning the basics over and over.
  7. 7.    Reduces and eliminates redundancy - documenting the process helps to identify places where there may be duplicated efforts or steps.
  8. Identifies and fills in any gaps in the current process - as you document, you may discover places where things might drop through the cracks.
  9. Clearly defines resource requirements - defining responsibilities in the documents helps everyone know exactly what the job requires.
  10. Reduces risk on the job - clearly defined processes lead to concise and useful training, which helps to reduce the risk to the employee.
  11. Provides a document change history for future reference - the document control system will provide a method to research a past event and determine the process that was being used at that time.
  12. Offers a one-stop-shop for an organization’s work activities - the central location for controlled documents allows for cross-function learning and sharing.

For more information, visit:

http://www.coloradoexcellence.org/

http://www.baldrigepe.org

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Leading by Example and Small Business Success and Community Engagement

Jeff Wasden  

 

Jeff Wasden, owner of PROformance Appeal took a failing company and turned it around to being awarded Business of the Year and Best of the Best. Wasden points out during difficult economic times businesses pull back on promotional items and professional memberships which handicap businesses. People do business with people―that is what draws business in.  Industry and community partnerships have businesses value―it can be everything to a business.  Equally as important is building a culture of involvement. Wasden noted, evaluate where you want to go, what your passion is, and join business chambers to establish yourself and not just to grow your business.  Growing your business is something that follows.  Establishing business relationships and giving back are at the forefront.

By following his interest in politics Wasden (chair of Business Leaders for Responsible Government and the Legislative Action Committee) within the South Metro Denver Chamber organized the Elevate Colorado 2010 Governors Forum, an event for business and community leaders surrounding the gubernatorial conversation featuring former Governors Bill Owens, Richard Lamm, Mayor John Hickenlooper, Dan Maes and Tom Tancredo.  Wasden commented that it was an event not to steer people a specific way but to inspire people to stand-up and do something.

www.proformanceapparel.com and www.bestchamber.com

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