The key to successfully starting any business is a good business plan. In his eBook, “Business Plan Secrets Revealed,” Mike Elia walks you through the business plan process step-by-step: from gathering the evidence you’ll use to build your plan to delivering your plan to investors. qualified.
His book provides the basic information you need to write a business plan. But his real focus is on revealing how to communicate your plan to investors and convince them that your business is their best investment option.
When I first opened Business Plan Secrets Revealed, my heart sank. You see, I had promised Mike that I would read his entire book before writing a review. And Business Plan Secrets Revealed is not your ordinary eBook with one-sentence paragraphs, large fonts, and wide margins. It is full of information!
But when I started reading, I was pleasantly surprised. Mike’s writing style is engaging and practical, and his explanations simplify difficult concepts. Throughout the book, I felt like a friend was sitting with me on my back porch, matter-of-factly explaining exactly how to do something. It’s the kind of simple practicality you can only achieve when you fully understand a subject.
Mike’s clear understanding of business planning concepts is the result of more than 20 years of experience. Mike helps entrepreneurs buy, sell, and finance their businesses. He has overseen manufacturing and sales locations in more than nine countries. He is a certified public accountant, has an MBA, and served as CFO for two public companies.
Business Plan Secrets Revealed begins with tips for collecting and organizing the information you’ll need. From the beginning, Mike is focused on overcoming his single greatest challenge: closing the investor confidence gap. In the “Show Me the Numbers” chapter, Mike provides some of the clearest explanations of corporate financial statements I’ve ever read.
The last few chapters of Business Plan Secrets Revealed really deliver on Mike’s promise to help you communicate your business plan effectively. There are complete instructions on how to write his business plan, including how to open and read his plan and how to avoid nine common writing mistakes. He explains how choosing the right layout can make his business plan easier to read. Mike concludes by telling you how to prepare for critical face-to-face time with investors, including developing a direct, 60-second verbal pitch for your business. Tips for finding investors and a resource section round out the book.
I have to admit that several times while reading, I wondered: “Do I really need that much business plan?” This is not a business plan solution to fill in the blanks and print. But then I realized: if I really want to be successful, then I need to know as much as possible about my business in advance. Before you start spending money. Before risking in the market.
By the way, I managed to read the whole book. And I confirmed that Mike delivers on what he promises on the cover: he teaches you how to quickly gather evidence, build a case for your business, and write a readable plan that attracts investors and makes your business the most attractive investment option. Even if he already owns other business planning resources, I highly recommend Business Plan Secrets Revealed.