Business Plans That Work: 11 Actual Business Plans That Successfully Attracted Financing

I've read through two books on business planning and this one seemed as good as any. It came recommended by Anthony Robbins' Business Coaching, so I tried it. I got the job done, so I guess it was good enough. Is there a phenonmenal business plan book out there? Maybe. Does it matter? All that really matters is that you get your plan written. If this book worked for me, there's no reason it shouldn't work for you. Good luck!

Business Plans that Work is an intelligent, common sense approach to business that has a simple thesis; level headed philosophy, and a well structured organization. Written by a business consultant (and former art teacher--perhaps this helps the lack of turgid written prose), this book focuses on the theme that YOUR business brainstorm can only be envisioned and planned by you, simply because you are the one who has come up with the vision, enthusiasm, and interest to begin a particular business in the first place. Gilmann eschews the idea that consultants know best when it comes to developing a business plan. Sort of the philosophy that you are probably the best person to trust in investing your own money--since it's YOUR money, after all. The book is clearly written but not condescending to people new to business and tries to encourage the reader that business is not a mysterious enterprise, but rather a pursuit thatrequires foresight and planning, with, of course,initial inspiration. Her explanations of line by line items of business plans are quite clear, and she presents sample business plans that are good models (although iterating that all business plans are unique). She pays ample but not obsessive space to the importance of Internet issues, and encourages the reader who does write a plan to be blend he right amoung of rationale and enthusiasm in the text of one's plan. She also draws quite nicely on personal experience from childhood to adulthood, which creates a comfortable trusting relationship between reader & writer. I stood in my local large bookstore branch, flipping through about 10 books on the subject, and this one just seemed to have the right user-friendly balance that made me feel comfortable reading it