We tailor our approach to best fit the situation. Here are some examples:

These companies include start-ups and established, mid-sized companies. They generally have lean management structures and, therefore, find it difficult to find time to prepare a full-fledged, professional business plan. Usually, they require a business plan to present their business concept to outside investors – although some larger companies require this type of discipline to qualify for internal capital. Above all they seek a clear and technically sound business case to explain their prospects and to demonstrate their worthiness.

We have encountered far too many ventures that are flush with possible targets and confident that they can "figure it out when they get there" who ultimately fail. Typically, they fail because they didn’t achieve critical mass behind any one opportunity and because "figuring it out" in the heat of battle consumed far more resources than anticipated. For us, then, Business Plan Development is far more than simply producing a credible document. It is primarily about "thinking it out now" and implementing a plan that focuses the full energies of the organization on a targeted set of actions in product/market space. We know this effort pays off to the business and its investors.

The majority of these companies are single-product organizations bent on expanding their market and/or channel footprints. The work of developing a business plan generally involves focusing the entire organization on a limited set of high -leverage opportunities and also surfacing and evaluating hidden assumptions and implicit premises.

We work to develop business plans in several modes, including drafting an initial plan based on interviews with key personnel, editing and fleshing out a draft plan, and working side-by-side with the client to write the final document. We also help management teams develop their road show presentations and presentation styles.

Being "caught in irons" is a nautical term for a sailboat that has lost it momentum against the wind and is unable to turn in either direction. The established businesses that we work with often face a similar plight.

These companies either want to define a different strategic position or to chart a path to "the next level." They are, however, being pulled in contradictory directions. The solution is to formulate new priorities around which market segments to target, products to offer, and capabilities to protect/control/improve. Typically, there are several alternatives (frequently very different) under discussion before we are called in. It is our job to help sort through the possibilities.

To regain momentum, it is critical for these organizations to develop a shared understanding and common strategic language among the management team. We help them to articulate a strategic direction that will directly guide day-to-day decision-making and action. We know the incredible momentum a strategically aligned organization can build and how well it can pay off to the business and its investors.

We help these businesses to quickly get traction. This involves defining alternatives so that they can make choices among specific strategic market segments, and planning the capabilities needed to pursue and dominate these market segments. We use a rigorous project management and marketing methodology to ensure clarity and accountability. The benefits include: accelerated learning, because assumptions and results are made visible; a more effective way communicating progress and challenges to investors; and a sound framework for ensuring that resources are not wasted.

Our alliance partner, Gryphon Systems, Inc. has two specialties: (1) Information Technology Strategy; (2) Strategy RoundtableTM - which is a very effective software application for planning and tracking strategy implementation. To learn more: