Dollinger index

178 ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Writing and Editing

It is extremely important that the plan be well written and edited. Irrelevant informa-

tion and self-adulation should be excised, and everything should be presented as concise-

ly as possible.^29 Bad writing will kill a plan, and yet it is not recommended that the writ-

ing be jobbed out. It is up to the entrepreneur and the new venture’s executives and

advisers to write the plan together. A basic guideline for writing a business plan or any

kind of business assignment would include:

Product

service

level

MORE DESIRABLE

Level 4

Product/service fully

developed.

Many satisfied users.

Market established.

Level 3

Product/service fully

developed.

Few or no users as yet.

Market assumed

Level 2

Product/service pilot

operable.

Not yet developed for

production.

Market assumed

Level 1

A product or service

idea but not

operable.

Market assumed.

4/1

3/1

2/1

1/1

Level 1

A single

would-be

entrepreneur

4/2

3/2

2/2

1/2

Level 2

Tw o

founders.

Additional

slots,

personnel

not

identified

4/3

3/3

2/3

1/3

Level 3

Partly

staffed

management

team.

Absent

members

identified, to

join when

firm is

funded.

4/4

3/4

2/4

1/4

Level 4

Fully

staffed,

experienced

management

team.

↑

↑

↑

↑

FIGURE 5.1 Rich/Gumpert Evaluation System

Management status and experience levels

MORE DESIRABLE

SOURCE: David Gumpert and Stanley Rich, from Business Plans That Win $$$, 1985. Copyright © by David Gumpert and
Stanley Rich. Reprinted by permission of Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.

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