Ask HN: How to write a business plan for an Internet startup? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How to write a business plan for an Internet startup?

#51

Post by tptacek » Thu, Jan 08, 2009, 10:03 PM UTC

jmackinn wrote: post #50

webwright wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't have any spreadsheets handy, but I think the best spreadsheet you could have would be growth/traction data rather than prognostication. Without _some_ traction (or a gold plated team), I think fundraising for web startups is a waste of time for the most part. I think the data you should have at your fingertips varies wildly based on what biz you're in and how mature your business is, but off the cuff, I thin…

You do realize that these answers you suggest people should have amount to a business plan?

The word "document" is clearly implied in this discussion, but is obviously causing a lot of confusion.

Re: Ask HN: How to write a business plan for an Internet startup?

#52

Post by webwright » Thu, Jan 08, 2009, 10:15 PM UTC

jmackinn wrote: post #50

webwright wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't have any spreadsheets handy, but I think the best spreadsheet you could have would be growth/traction data rather than prognostication. Without _some_ traction (or a gold plated team), I think fundraising for web startups is a waste of time for the most part. I think the data you should have at your fingertips varies wildly based on what biz you're in and how mature your business is, but off the cuff, I thin…

You do realize that these answers you suggest people should have amount to a business plan?

No, I don't realize that. Go read a book on writing a business plan. :-) Seriously, though-- there's a lot more to a formal biz plan than that.

Being able to toss out some ideas on distribution/marketing is different than having a 2 page section on marketing. Being able to say that you need two more devs to build what you think you need to build in the next 12 months is different from having a 4-stage hiring plan with assorted milestones. Tossing out some ways you could make money is different than a 5-year revenue projection.

I don't think those questions aren't asked because you should have a confident answer to any/all of them. They are asked to confirm that actually think about the issues in question.

It's like agile development vs. waterfall development, IMO.

Re: Ask HN: How to write a business plan for an Internet startup?

#53

Post by jmackinn » Thu, Jan 08, 2009, 11:36 PM UTC

webwright wrote: post #52

jmackinn wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do realize that these answers you suggest people should have amount to a business plan?

No, I don't realize that. Go read a book on writing a business plan. :-) Seriously, though-- there's a lot more to a formal biz plan than that. Being able to toss out some ideas on distribution/marketing is different than having a 2 page section on marketing. Being able to say that you need two more devs to build what you think you need to build in the next 12 months is different from having a 4-stage hiring plan wit…

It's only on YC News that business plans are so black and white. The is no international standard on what sections, how many pages, or how many years into the future a business plan must be.

Re: Ask HN: How to write a business plan for an Internet startup?

#54

Post by anamax » Fri, Jan 09, 2009, 6:22 AM UTC

> I've been approached by some investors who want to invest in my startup. They've asked me to put together a business plan - listing costs/revenue etc.

Are said investors paying enough for what they want? Or, would you be better off doing something else?

I'm assuming that you have enough of a plan to run your biz and enough accounting to know what's happened in the past.

If that information is not what they want (and "not what they want" includes "we need it in a different format") or they don't understand what you've got (assuming that you're willing to share a redacted version), why do you want them as investors?