The document provides guidance on key sections to include when developing a business plan, such as problem/solution, unique value proposition, team, market, customers, economics, funding, execution plan, and product testing. It emphasizes the importance of execution excellence and testing assumptions through methods like the Lean Canvas tool and product testing with potential clients. A comment is included about Brazilians not looking forward or backward and just living in the present.

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. How
do
I
translate
“Looking
forward”
into
Portuguese….
-­‐à
olhando
em
frente
….
Hahahaha
…
says
my
Brasilian
friend:
We
do
not
look
forward
nor
backward,
we
just
live
today!
4

5. Problem:
Every
business
exists
because
of
some
noLceable
opportunity
that
you
have
discovered
within
the
market.
So
you
must
clearly
define
the
need
and/or
problem
you
are
solving
with
this
business.
Solu+on:
Introduce
and
describe
the
business
itself.
Consider
including
a
mission
or
vision
statement
with
objecLves
detailing
how
the
business
saLsfies
the
need
in
the
market.
Unique
Value
Proposi+on:
Describe
your
business
model
and
compeLLve
advantage.
This
will
help
you
to
outline
how
the
business
will
sustain
its
posiLon
within
the
market.
5

6. TEAM:
Did
you
know
that
more
than
25%
of
all
startups
who
fail
are
because
of
not
having
the
right
Team?
Name
the
management
team,
board
and
advisers
to
the
business.
Highlight
their
experLse
and
experiences.
But
most
important
…
make
sure
they
are
driven,
passionate
and
commiXed.
It
is
not
so
important
which
seat
each
member
has
on
the
bus
…
as
long
as
you
have
the
right
people
on
the
bus.
Market:
Only
when
understanding
the
industry
you
are
entering
–
its
size,
aXracLveness
and
profit
potenLal
–
can
you
truly
jusLfy
the
opportunity.
We
call
this
outside-­‐in
….
From
the
market
into
the
business/to
the
soluLon.
It
drives
your
value
creaLon
strategy
and
differenLaLon
Customers:
Narrowing
down
your
target
customer
will
help
to
stay
focused
and
prioriLze,
enhance
and
define
your
markeLng
strategy,
establish
your
channels.
6

7. Economics:
Define
your
revenue
streams
including
pricing
structure,
costs,
margins
and
expenses.
A
solid
business
model
describes
in
detail
how
much
revenues
you
will
generate
out
of
which
value
stream.
Each
value
stream
looks
at
the
client
segments,
clients
behavior,
decision
making
processes
and
decision
making
criteria.
Some
of
those
are
more
emoLonal,
others
are
very
fact
based.
All
aspects
need
to
be
reflected
in
your
value
statement
as
well
as
your
pricing.
Funding:
IdenLfy
needed
capital
requirements
….
by
determining
where
your
business
stands
today,
and
what
is
needed
in
order
to
move
forward.
Also,
if
you
are
in
need
of
outside
funding,
what
will
be
the
sources
and
uses
of
funds
requested.
It
is
criLcal
to
develop
a
solid
financing
plan
and
as
needed
related
investment
plan.
As
a
startup
you
need
to
be
frugal,
spend
only
as
much
as
needed
and
ask
only
as
much
as
needed.
If
you
ask
for
too
much,
the
investor
will
loose
trust
and
confidence,
if
you
ask
too
liXle,
you
might
not
reach
the
next
criLcal
milestone.
Execu+on-­‐
Game
Plan:
Many
organizaLons
invest
significant
efforts
in
developing
plans
…
business
plans,
strategic
plans,
producLvity
plans
….,
but
only
few
understand
and
master
execuLon.
Danaher
CorporaLon,
one
of
the
most
profitable
industrial
and
science
conglomerate
of
companies,
sends
every
single
employee,
including
top
management,
through
an
intense
training
when
joining
the
company.
The
focus
is
on
learning
the
Danaher
Business
system
which
is
100%
focused
on
execuLon
excellence.
ExecuLon
needs
not
only
discipline
but
specifically
the
processes
and
methodologies
to
drive
accountability
throughout
an
enLre
organizaLon.
Accountability
is
everything
and
you
need
to
learn
and
pracLce
daily
to
master
this
science.
….
It
is
hard,
but
worth
it.
7

8. 8

9. The
Lean
Canvas:
Business
plans
take
too
long
to
write,
are
seldom
updated,
and
almost
never
read
by
others
but
documenLng
your
assumpLons
are
key.
It
is
an
excellent
and
widely
accepted
tool
to
communicate
and
document
your
plan
in
a
very
lean
way,
however
it
does
not
replace
the
need
for
Entrepreneurs
and
Business
Leaders
to
understand
and
manage
a
suite
of
tools
and
methodologiesThe
Lean
Canvas
does
not
give
the
expected
approach
when
the
soluLon
given
to
the
iniLal
problem
becomes
unrealisLc
or
difficult
to
aXain
on
the
ground.
Product
tes+ng:
A
typical
method
in
scienLfic
startups
product
tesLng
in
which
potenLal
clients
are
allowed
to
see,
taste
or
use
the
product.
Likewise,
product
tesLng
also
provides
insight
about
the
value
of
the
product.
You
should
provide
product
that
is
fully
finished
versions
or
prototypes
of
the
products
to
be
tested.
Through
the
product
tesLng
customers
can
give
detailed
feedback.
In
this
way,
business
owners
can
make
changes
if
necessary.
Voice
of
the
Customer:
ConducLng
a
Voice
of
the
Customer
(VOC)
survey
is
the
most
effecLve
methodology
to
understand
if
your
soluLon
is
meeLng
your
clients
needs/
solves
their
problems.
Moreover,
it
gives
you
indicators
of
supplemental
products
and
services
which
might
help
you
to
differenLate
yourself
well
from
your
compeLtors.
It
is
the
easiest
way
to
conduct
market
analysis.
However,
you
should
ensure
that
the
quesLons
are
well
selected
and
not
creaLng
Yes/No
answers.
So
called
“open
ended
quesLons”
lead
to
explanaLons
above
and
beyond
the
limits
of
your
thought.
It
offers
insight
to
addiLonal
opportuniLes
and
sok
factors
the
client
sees
as
important
in
that
context.
ExtracLng
such
informaLon
from
the
answers
can
lead
to
a
idenLfying
addiLonal
product
and/services
features
which
lead
a
solid
differenLaLon
of
your
offering
from
the
ones
of
your
compeLtors.
Offering
quality
products
does
not
guarantee
that
the
target
market
will
buy
the
products.
Examples
9

10. SWOT
Analysis:
Another
business
planning
method
is
the
SWOT
analysis
in
which
entrepreneurs
are
required
to
make
a
list
of
the
strengths,
weaknesses,
opportuniLes
and
threats.
By
employing
this
method
you
will
be
aware
about
the
potenLal
problems
and
eventually
develop
plans
to
counteract
the
problems.
Likewise,
SWOT
analysis
also
defines
the
core
competency
and
at
the
same
Lme
recognizes
the
opportuniLes.
Compe++ve
Analysis:
It
is
a
part
of
analyzing
the
market.
In
this
method
entrepreneurs
should
list
other
businesses
offering
similar
products.
It
also
helps
to
determine
the
strengths
and
weaknesses
of
the
company
and
the
product.
The
key
in
obtaining
compeLLve
analysis
is
to
conduct
surveys
among
various
compeLtors.
SMART
Goals:
As
indicated
in
my
Key
QuesLons
secLon,
accountability
is
the
key
to
successful
execuLon.
Establishing
SMART
goals
lays
the
basis
to
establish
accountability.
SMART
goals
will
be
accepted
by
those
who
will
take
responsibility
to
execute
and
reach
those
goal.
Establishing
SMART
goals
requires
diligent
work
by
entrepreneurs
and
leaders
and
a
great
way
to
develop
them
is
to
involve
the
respecLve
stakeholders.
Example
of
a
SMART
goal:
A
startup
has
developed
the
prototype
and
now
needs
to
place
and
test
the
prototype
at
5
reference
clients.
The
tests
need
to
be
completed
within
3
months
to
achieve
the
planned
Lming
for
market
launch.
The
Goal
for
the
responsible
person
is
defined
as:
Execute
5
prototype
tests
based
on
our
“2-­‐week
duraLon
test
plan
xyz”
at
client
Name
1,
Name
2,
Name
3,
Name
4,
Name
5
and
report
the
final
results
unLl
DATE
(3
month
window).
10

11. Ac+on
Plan:
An
acLon
plan
links
the
goals
of
your
business
with
the
execuLon.
It
includes
a
clear
descripLon
of
the
acLon
you
take
to
achieve
a
specific
goal,
what
milestones
you
need
to
reach
to
get
to
the
end
state
and
a
metrics
which
helps
you
to
measure
on
a
daily
basis,
if
you
are
on
track
or
not.
As
long
as
your
metrics
is
green
you
just
conLnue
what
you
are
doing,
in
case
your
metric
turns
red
you
need
to
drive
counter
acLons.
You
need
to
ask
the
quesLon
“Why
did
I
miss”
5
Lmes
to
really
understand
the
reason
for
the
miss.
Financial
Planning:
To
beat
the
odds
and
avoid
running
out
of
money,
successful
entrepreneurs
prepare
by
developing
rigorous
financial
plans
that
forecast
essenLal
informaLon
such
as
how
much
money
it'll
take
to
get
off
the
ground
and
what
to
expect
in
the
first
few
years
so
they
can
best
allocate
resources.
The
financial
plan
should
consider
the
following
key
elements:
Profit
and
Loss
statement
–
Includes:
Revenue
plan/forecast
(Revenues),
All
cost
related
to
producing
and
selling
your
products
(Cost
of
Goods
Sold),
All
cost
to
develop
and
test
your
product
(R&D
cost),
All
cost
to
start
and
run
your
business
including
depreciaLon
of
investments
(OperaLng
Cost)
Cash
Flow
Statement:
A
cash
flow
statement
is
an
explanaLon
of
how
much
cash
your
business
brought
in,
how
much
cash
it
paid
out,
and
what
its
ending
cash
balance
was,
typically
per-­‐month.
Without
a
thorough
understanding
of
how
much
cash
you
have,
where
your
cash
is
coming
from,
where
it’s
going,
and
on
what
schedule,
you’re
not
only
going
to
have
a
hard
Lme
running
a
healthy
business
but
it
is
impossible
to
find
an
investor
for
your
business.
An
investor
wants
to
understand
in
detail
how
you
spend
his/her
money,
when
and
for
what
…
investors
usually
release
their
money
according
to
a
Cash
Flow
Plan.
For
both,
we
offer
simple
planning
tools
which
help
you
to
apply
a
simple
methodology
with
being
an
expert
in
Financial
planning.
11

12.
Investor
Planning:
Most
of
the
informaLon
developed
in
the
Business
plan
are
core
to
an
investor
deck.
It
answers
all
quesLons
an
investor
might
want
to
know
and
ask
to
an
entrepreneur
….
However
it
does
not
answer
the
quesLon:
What
is
the
right
investor
for
my
business?
We
always
say:
Finding
an
investor
is
one,
but
finding
the
right
investor
can
boost
your
business
to
success.
In
the
investor
planning
process
you
ask
yourself,
what
kind
of
investor
can
create
the
biggest
value
for
your
business.
For
example:
You
are
looking
for
an
investor
to
support
your
expansion
to
China.
You
and
your
team
have
never
been
in
China,
do
not
understand
the
culture
of
business
but
know
…
the
market
for
your
product
is
huge.
You
idenLfied
an
investor
in
Chile,
who
is
excited
about
your
company
and
believes
in
you
…
your
capability
to
have
the
same
success
in
China
as
you
had
in
Chile,
….
but
he
cannot
help
you.
You
think
this
is
a
wise
investor
strategy?
Have
you
idenLfied
the
right
investor
for
your
business?
12

13. 13

14. 14