The title of Chapter 1 is "You Need a Business Plan. (Yes, This Means You)". We absolutely agree, so we read further.

We're glad we did. David Ronick's book really "cuts to the chase" about what a business plan of the 21st century should look like and why it's important not only for pursuing investors, but even more for the entrepreneur to set a solid foundation to enter the marketplace and complete.

Lots of step-by-step guidance and examples.

The days of a business plan looking like a 48 page master's thesis are gone. David shows you how to craft a solid plan quickly and with both internal and external impact.

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Product Description

Hit the Deck shows entrepreneurs the right way to create business plans, following best practices used at top business schools, and with leading angel and venture capital investors. The book provides step-by-step instructions on how to think through new business ideas, and prepare concise, compelling business plan presentations. As a result, founders can plan faster, pitch more effectively, and modify their plans more easily as they get feedback from advisors and investors. Hit the Deck includes interviews with sophisticated investors, like Ted Schlein at Kleiner Perkins, and with successful entrepreneurs, like Tommy Hilfiger.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #349409 in Books
• Published on: 2010-05-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .4" h x .90" w x .60" l, .60 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 198 pages

From the Publisher
Hit the Deck isn't just a book; it's part of something bigger: UpStart Bootcamp (upstartbootcamp.com)--an online school for entrepreneurs. Buy the book, and get 10% off your first purchase at the school. For more information, visit upstartbootcamp.com/promo.

The book and the site are part of something even bigger: A new approach to planning and launching startups. Today's entrepreneurs get more results in less time, with less money. They follow a new set of best practices, honed in places most entrepreneurs never see, like the offices of venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. UpStart is leveling the playing field, making these methods accessible to a broader audience.

Business plans have changed along with startups. A decade ago, a business plan looked like a college term paper--40+ pages of written prose, with footnotes, charts, and appendices. Developing that type of plan took months. Today, planning a business happens much faster. Entrepreneurs don't waste time writing term papers nobody reads. Instead, business plans take the form of short, compelling presentations--aka "decks"--that are pitched in-person. Using slides instead of prose takes half the time and has twice the impact on potential investors and other audiences.

In this book, you'll learn about the right way to plan new companies. I'll explain how it's done, step by step. You'll also hear from successful investors and entrepreneurs, who share their experience and advice in interviews throughout the book.

Here's what industry experts have to say about Hit The Deck:

"Hit the Deck shows founders what they really need to know in order to plan and pitch their startup ideas effectively. It explains the rules of thumb followed by sophisticated investors and experienced entrepreneurs, in an easy-to-follow, no-nonsense way."
-Owen Davis, Managing Director, NYCSeed.

"A street-smart guide to raising money for startups. It shows entrepreneurs how to create plans that communicate critical aspects of their business, and how to engage investors in conversations."
-William Sahlman, professor of entrepreneurship and Associate Dean at Harvard Business School.

"A great book for entrepreneurs looking to turn ideas into businesses. I particularly like the way you walk readers through an actual investor pitch, slide by slide. Your advice is right on target, your writing is clear and easy to follow, and you've peppered the book with practical advice and examples from real-world startups".
-Andrew Macey, member of Common Angels, Global Board member, MIT Enterprise Forum, and VP Digital Strategy, Sapient.

"An excellent book! Very much in keeping with my own sentiments about business plans. One of the key takeaways is that business plans are living documents. If your plan is not evolving, your company is not evolving."
-James Robinson IV, Co-founder and Managing Partner of RRE Ventures.

"Startups win by being fast and flexible. That goes for planning, as well as execution. This book helps founders plan just enough to make smart choices, without wasting time and effort."
-Amar Bhide, former professor of entrepreneurship at Columbia Business School, Harvard Business School, and University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business.

"Just the kind of book first-time entrepreneurs need. It provides invaluable tools, with a practical, hands-on approach, including a thorough pre-launch checklist. I wish I had this tool while I was teaching."
-John W. Altman, former professor of entrepreneurship at The University of California, Berkeley, and VP of Strategic Futures for the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

"There's at least one piece of wisdom on every page of Hit The Deck, none of it buried in jargon."
-Barrett Hazeltine, professor and former Associate Dean, Brown University.

"Great advice for entrepreneurs! Your approach forces founders to communicate their ideas clearly."
-Michael Roberts, Executive Director, Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship at the Harvard Business School.

"Hit The Deck does a superb job of explaining what matters for modern business plans and pitch decks. Angel investors and venture capitalists everywhere will be thankful if entrepreneurs read this book and take it to heart."
-David Cohen, Founder and CEO, Techstars.