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[CATEGORY] Small Business

[HEAD] How to Convert Any Idea into a Convincing Business Plan--The Necessary First Step to Launching a Thriving Enterprise

Today's entrepreneurs are driving a new era of global transformation and growth. But before they can turn ideas into profitmaking ventures, they must craft a business plan that crystallizes and legitimizes those ideas to customers, key talent, and investors.

Business Plans That Work details a strategic, step-by-step approach to creating, adapting, and writing a solid but flexible business plan that will sell your idea and help you make it a reality. Whatever stage you are at in the growth of your business, this no-nonsense guidebook will show you how to:

• Determine what to include in each plan, why, and for whom
• Recognize and avoid common pitfalls in creating a business plan
• Use the proven "Timmons Model" to analyze potential opportunities

More than just a tool to raise seed capital, a well-written business plan provides an entrepreneur with strong insights into "the idea," and a powerful head start on turning that idea into an enterprise. Business Plans That Work shows how to write, adapt, focus, and revise a business plan that will secure capital and attract top-flight talent as it helps you assess the strength of your opportunity and provides invaluable insights into what you need to do to make it work.

Jeffry A. Timmons, D.B.A., is the Franklin W. Olin Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College and author of the Inc. top ten book New Venture Creation.

Andrew Zacharakis, Ph.D., is the Paul T. Babson Term Chair in Entrepreneurship at Babson College.

Stephen Spinelli is the founder of Jiffy Lube International and director of Babson's Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship.

Today's top experts in entrepreneurship deliver a streamlined, step-by-step guide for crafting effective business plans ""Timmons is one of the two most powerful minds in entrepreneurship in the nation." --Success Business" "Plans That Work "arms entrepreneurs and small business owners with an easy-to-follow template for writing persuasive business plans, along with proven models that can be used to analyze potential business opportunities from initial idea to viable venture. This value-packed book will show both entrepreneurs and current business owners how to: Determine what to include in each plan, why, and for whom Recognize and avoid common pitfalls in the process Use the renowned "Timmons Model" to analyze potential business opportunities

Jeffry A. Timmons, Ph.D. (Greenfield, MA) is a professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College and the author of New Venture Creation.

Andrew Zacharakis, Ph.D. (Bedford, MA) is an associate professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College.

Steve Spinelli, Ph.D. (Longmeadow, NH) is the founder of Jiffy Lube International and director of Babson College's entrepreneurship program.