HBR 20-Minute Manager Boxed Set (10 Books) (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

Creating Business Plans

8

colleagues and other industry professionals

for their views on the problem you’re trying

to solve. Also, think about your proposal from

the perspective of your audience. A corporate

management committee or board of directors,

for instance, will consider your idea within the

context of the company’s other initiatives and

may look for potential cost savings or other

sales opportunities related to your idea. Inves-

tors and lenders, on the other hand, may want

to know about the breakeven points and the

business’s longer-term potential.

• What do you want? Think about your ultimate

goal. Do you need a corporate stamp of approval

or the active support of upper management?

Are you just looking for funding, or do you want ...