A Visual Business Plan v2.0 (Updated w/Video)
April 14th, 2009
My mind can’t process classic “business plans” (you know, the 20 page Word documents with marketing and sales plans, financing plans, planning the plan plans…) About a year ago, I sketched out a Visual/Circular Business Plan. Now, since I’m introducing the idea to my PebbleStorm “Come Play With Me” group, I’ve updated it…
One of the biggest differences in this plan, compared to a classic plan, is that there is no specific time line. You could add some rough time estimates in as rings (like tree rings). There is, more importantly, a logical progression of small projects and goals that lead to larger ones, like stepping stones.
Consider that you, today, are in the middle. The innermost ring is your first or next babystep. The outermost rings are your vision. It’s not meant to be perfect, accurate or a ‘project plan’ – it’s a simple way to have fun giving your vision a shape and substance that is easily explained both to yourself and others!
Oh – and if you do one, you have to share it with me 
And most importantly: have fun with it!
And some video…
April 14th, 2009 at 1:47 am
Awesome! We do have fun working together!! Thanks for the videographer credits! I can add them to my list of my Unique Genius – - capturing the moment!
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April 14th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Hey you guys!
Enjoyment points galore here!!!
You definitely were exuding fun to me! I like I like! I was smiling the whole time while I was watching the video
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April 23rd, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Aaron, this is AWESOME. What an innovative, fun, memorable business vision and plan!
I can see a more traditional business adapting it so that the “slices” of the circle are components/departments like Marketing, Operations, etc. or having multiple circles representing various levels, e.g. one that represent the whole business mission, another that is a 5-year vision, another for just the Marketing department’s various components, etc. “Telescoping” visual biz plans.
Love the video, too, it’s fun and helpful to see it being put together in action.
Thanks for inspiring us!!
By the way, up to now I’ve just been subscribing to your blog via RSS feed, but I’m regularly neglecting my google reader now, so I appreciate the option to subscribe by email! http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=2287594&loc=en_US
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aaronross383 Reply:
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:13 pm
@George Kao, I like the telescoping idea! And I agree, you could apply the basic concepts to all kinds of plans and in all kinds of ways. I just like circles
Oh – and I’ve been neglecting my RSS feed too…I feel ya!
Thanks again for being an amazing contributor and inspiration to everyone around you and in pebblestorm.
Aaron
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May 1st, 2009 at 10:31 am
You should also check out Artizen Coaching’s Right Brain Business Plan at http://www.artizencoaching.com. Jennifer Lee is awesome and she gets it! It’s a business plan for the rest of us – and is really fun, creative and inpirational.www.artizencoaching.com
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aaronross383 Reply:
May 1st, 2009 at 2:15 pm
@Maria Ross, That’s so cool! I just tweeted her site
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July 3rd, 2009 at 1:42 am
Great video
I love it! Entrepreneurs are usually reluctant to sit down and design their own business plan because it can be pretty overwhelming. But I must say that your approach of making a visual business plan is a wonderful way to overcome this obstacle!
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August 6th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
excellent post
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September 14th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
It is great. My website http://www.fixmybusinessprocess.com was totally designed using a Visual business plan like this one.
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June 6th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I am having problem with the first link. It gives a 404 error?
Thanks
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