GAP Fellow Tips for 10/25
Luna, Keith A.
Hey everyone,
Hope you’re all enjoying a great Fall. Sachiko and I have been talking to the GAP Office and it is time to submit our tips for the 95% business plan. I could not find any from last year so these are brand new. Please add thoughts, change, or delete as you think might be necessary. These are saved in the Google doc, but I included everything in this email for easy viewing. Talk to you all soon.
GAP Fellow Tips
10/25/11 Email: 95% Business Plan
Last year’s email (No tips included)
Our tips
As you get closer to your goal of a completed business plan or consulting report, we just wanted to share a few tips as you prepare your 95% draft.
- Even though you have a 95% draft due, don’t stop refining your plan. Continue to improve, add to and further support your conclusions.
- It’s not too late to grab that last bit of research to add further credibility to your plan. If you find that you just don’t have the data for something you believe to be try to get it quickly. It’s better than finding yourself facing the judges without answers from the primary research.
- At this point, all the pieces of the plan should be present. Put as much in as you can so that you can get as much helpful feedback as possible from your paired team and advisor. They will undoubtedly find things that can be improved since they are further from the subject.
- Start thinking in terms of consistency, writing style, and importance. The plan needs to flow and be consistent both in data and writing throughout. Also, start thinking about what is essential to put in the main plan versus what can go into supporting appendices.
- Since you only get one chance to introduce your plan to the reader, take a second and a third look at the executive summary. It is the most important section of the business plan because it tells the reader whether he or she should continue to all of the in depth research you have completed.
Good luck on the 95% plan. You’re almost there. As always, please feel free to reach out to any of the GAP Fellows if you have any questions.
Baldeep Sadhal
I added one in the Google doc that occurred to us late in the process of writing our business plan last year.
- Don’t be afraid to persuade the reader. All parts of the plan should advocate a point of view and support that view with evidence, not merely present data in a report format.