Jim Horan | Tom Peters
1 Just as it promises....
This is the one time when thinking "inside the box" is a good thing! When it comes to a business plan, you can lose your mind writing page after page after page after page of endless nonsense. Having the directive to focus and get it all on one page when armed with successful instructions is priceless.
2 Powerful stuff - all on 1 page!
Any business document should be effectively conveyed on a single piece of paper. Even a business plan? YES indeed.
Winston Churchill was asked how long he would need to prepare a speech. Churchill asked how long he had to speak. He was told 2 hours. "I can do that immediately." When asked about a 10-minute speech, he replied, "In that case, I should need a fortnight to prepare."
That's the idea behind The One Page Business Plan. If you can put the time, effort, and concentration in (which the book clearly and simply guides you through) to 1 page, you've got a killer document that can serve as your touchstone within your group, your department, division, and whole company.
Another thing - lots of people think this book is only for entrepreneurs. Not so. It's perhaps most valuable inside corporations, where it can be used to quickly get everyone on the same page (literally!)
Great book, great concept. Plus you can reuse the format for all kinds of plans - for a project, for a new brand, for a spinoff, even for finding a new job!!
3 What 13 years in a F500 Company don't teach you...
...You can find here! I came across this book through a mention on Tom Peters Website and could not get myself to spend the 35$ until last week. Big mistake! It is exactly what I needed to focus my thoughts in a clear and concise manner...and turbofast too. The questions are sharp and intense, the results are astonishing. If you are an accidental entrepreneur buy this book! Oliver Fritsch, www.vocationlab.com
4 Great first step to planning
We've just finished a semester using this book with undergrads (at Marquette), in conjunction with Bulger's The Enlightened Entrepreneur. Both are full of questions to answer; this one also has a nice protocol for going from answers to the plan. In one page, obviously you only set a broad direction, but that's vital. I added sections on Customers, Competitors, Capabilities, Channels, Commitments, and Capital to get closer to a full plan. Overall, it worked extremely well, and business clients who've used it also found it works well.
5 planning made simple!
Can business planning get any simpler than this?
The system is well laid out, deceptively simple but effective. After reading the book we worked with a consultant to actually implement the methodology and have had great results.
6 Very good for what it does
This book excels at cutting to the chase and getting the important ideas down.
First the positives. Simplifies the potentially daunting task of getting something on paper without all the complexity. The book also does a good job of entertaining the reader.
The negatives. This book does not cover the financial aspects of a business plan. There is little guidance when it comes to the numbers. The plan you produce using this book might need a beefing up if you need substantial amounts of capital.
Overall the plans you could make using this book could be quite useful to you. Some of the uses include: Complete plan for a smaller enterprise, executive summary to keep everyone working toward a common goal, outline for a larger plan, concept piece to get people excited.
Possibly all a smaller enterprise needs. Great start for a larger business.
One of my better purchases.
7 Great template/guide for planning projects/businesses
I enjoyed the fresh & light approach of this book. Doesn't bog you down with too many rules and must-do's and lets you bring out your thoughts directly onto paper. I think its especially helpful in the starting stages of a business where you don't yet have the information to build a full business plan but need to organize your thouhts. It is also a great ongoing condensed format for a business plan that can keep your actions/strategies in line.
8 A Must Have for anyone just getting started and new to this
As someone who has never written a business plan and had no idea where to start, this book is absolutley fantastic!! It starts you off with writing pieces of what you want to do by answering the five "W"'s. It also suggests you have an interview with someone so that you can play back what you actually said and then transcribe your verbal thoughts on paper. Very realistic and fun approach to what could be a very arduous task.
9 Very helpful
I didn't want to have to read a lengthy book and come up with some boring 10+ page business plan. I just wanted to establish a purpose for my company and set some goals. This book was very helpful. It is more of a workbook that prompts you to think about things to help you write your plan.
10 I would rate this as an A+++
I know that many people when it comes down to sitting down and doing a business plan it just is a long drawn out process. Well this book changed all that....my husband and I sat down yesterday morning and by that evening at 5:00 we had our plan completed. We are still awaiting some input on a few trusted business associates, but it feels good to be able to have this process completed and we can move toward accomplishing our goals.
11 The Right Brained Persons Guide To Writing a Business Plan!!
Being a severely right-brained person, the thought of actually having to sit down and put to paper a plan for my business was painful. When my coach sent this book to me, I was reluctant to even open it. But, when I did and saw the graphics and journal style layout, I couldn't put it down. I now have a vision for my business that stretches much further than I ever thought possible. What a tool!
12 I hadn't purchased this book because I thought it was a joke
I had seen this book around but hadn't purchased because I didn't think a one-page business plan, even if possible, could be of any practical use.
I have been involved in several successful startups and have done a fair bit of business planning. I had even won prestigious awards for it. Currently I am involved in another startup, Worldlingo.com, an internet startup focused on language translation.
So what changed my mind - why did I purchase it?
I saw the author speak and he made a lot of sense, so I thought I had better get his book and check it out once and for all. If half of what he said was right - this one page business plan was going to be a big help.
It so happened I had a long 14 hour flight in front of me and took the book along to read. Its friendly style, graphics, and plain good sense (frankly the book is more like a kids coloring book then a traditional business planning book) enticed me to do the exercises as I went (which I never usually do). Answering the questions for my business and me.
Not only had I finished the book by the end of the flight, but I also had time to type up the final product on my laptop. I guess having already done a full blown traditional business plan for the business helped.
I have to say I was feeling pretty pleased with what I had produced. I felt more focused and had a much clearer picture of what the most important things were that needed to be achieved next.
But the most thrilling part was when I tabled it our staff meeting - they loved it. They could clearly see where we were heading, what we had to achieve, and it gave them a clear framework in which they could make the many decisions they have to make everyday.
The language translation business has been around for centuries, but the opportunities for it on the internet are changing and evolving very fast. This one page business plan is easy and quick to update, and the staff can quickly understand any refinements to our goals.
But actions speak louder than words, since I have purchased another 10 copies to give away to my product managers (so they can do a plan for their products) and the CEOs of other businesses I am involved in.
I think the one page business plan is a great management tool that will have a very positive effect on our business. I am already seeing the benefits.
I guess the joke was on me.
13 Simple, Simple, Simple!
Your Business Vision, Mission Statement, Objectives, Markerting Strategies, and Plans... OH MY! Can you think of anything more overwhelming to a potential or new business owner than the thought of putting all that down on paper? Jim Horan's has created an easy to understand and enjoyable --- yes, I said enjoyable ---book that will assist you as you create that solid foundation for your business. Once you have completed your "The One Page Business Plan" you'll also have in your hand, the basis of your brochure or web page or networking and marketing plan. What more can a New Business Owner ask for!
14 Simple, Simple, Simple!
Your Business Vision, Mission Statement, Objectives, Markerting Strategies, and Plans... OH MY! Can you think of anything more overwhelming to a potential or new business owner than the thought of putting all that down on paper? Jim Horan's has created an easy to understand and enjoyable --- yes, I said enjoyable ---book that will assist you as you create that solid foundation for your business. Once you have completed your "The One Page Business Plan" you'll also have in your hand, the basis of your brochure or web page or networking and marketing plan. What more can a New Business Owner ask for!
15 Simple, Simple, Simple!
Your Business Vision, Mission Statement, Objectives, Markerting Strategies, and Plans... OH MY! Can you think of anything more overwhelming to a potential or new business owner than the thought of putting all that down on paper? Jim Horan has created an easy to understand and enjoyable --- yes, I said enjoyable ---book that will assist you as you create that solid foundation for your business. Once you have completed "The One Page Business Plan" you have in your hand, the basis of your brochure or web page or networking and marketing plan. What more can a New Business Owner ask for!
16 The Best book for practical B-plan in your organization
There are books on how to design business plan, and there are books. Sure, you can have a thick book, that will take weeks to read and understand. But if you have a need to not only understand the essense of a business plan, but the essense of your business, your vision, your goals - this is the book for you! Don't miss it! Ronen Ben-Naphtali, NY
17 Start With A Written Business Vision, Build A Business
Very practical introduction to keywords like Business Vision, Business Mission, Business Objectives, Business Strategies, and Business Plans. Allows startup business persons to begin to articulate their message of providing needed goods and services to their customers easily - essenced to one page. Think, imagine, fill in the creative blanks and create a good, simple one page Business Plan which is exactly what the title claims is the desired end result from reading this short workbook.
18 Great business planning tool for stockbrokers!!!
It's easy for a stockbroker to get wrapped up in the market and lose the perspective that you are in business for yourself. In order to be successful for the long run, one must have a plan and The One Page Business Plan is a great tool. This book really help me pull together my business plan quickly.
Ralph Miljanich, Vice President, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc.
19 Banker loves The One Page Business Plan!
As a banker, I love The One Page Business Plan. I know the potential business owner is serious, committed and professional. This is truly a breakthrough in business planning!"
Jerry Ricketts, Vice President, Scotts Valley Bank
20 Incredible business planning tool! Highly recommend it!!
The friendly visual graphics, and the no nonsense approach to business planning got me over my reluctance to write a business plan. This process got me to think out of the box and to create my dream business! Now I have a great plan and it's working."
Kendall Moalem, Kendall Moalem Design
