Scaling Altruism

CHAPTER 4Test

The only true voyage [is] to see the universe through the eyes of another.

—Marcel Proust

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

• Test and improve the business plan with external audiences;
• Map your most important stakeholders to identify who should provide input on your business plan;
• Identify the most effective ways to ask for advice and receive high‐quality feedback; and
• Create a pitch deck from your business plan.

Business plan development begins with the CEO and board working through the align practices from Chapter 2 to articulate organizational direction in a one‐page framework. Then, working with staff and others, the CEO expands the framework's content into a 10‐ to 15‐page business plan, continuously consulting with staff and board members individually or in small groups. With these steps complete, the draft document is ready to share with select external reviewers for their feedback. This process enables you to do the following:

• Capture feedback to make the document shorter, more specific, and easier to understand;
• Validate strategy by soliciting opinions of successful entrepreneurs and people who have built and run companies before;
• Build confidence in the proposed trajectory, or, if feedback dictates, improve the plan before launching;
• Deepen relationships with the most important funders and partners by soliciting ...