计划书是走上创业道路的第一步

Your written plan describes your business, outlines your goals and serves as a road map for future activities' everything from handling unforeseen complications to repaying borrowed money. It's a document that should grow with your business, undergoing constant tweaks as your big idea evolves from a concept into a successful company.
商业计划书提供了企业介绍、目标概述，并且是各种未来业务活动──从处理始料未及的复杂情况到偿还借款──的路线图。这份计划书应随着企业的成长而充实完善，并随着您的远大构想从概念发展为成功企业而不断调整变化。

A strong business plan is essentially the cornerstone of your business, and yet many entrepreneurs drag their feet when it comes to writing one' possibly because it involves a good deal of work and may bring back childhood memories of writing a tedious book report on summer vacation. But it's critical that you not only organize your thoughts on how you intend to run your business but also formalize your plan in writing. Here's why:
一份优秀的商业计划书实质上是企业的基石，但是临到写商业计划书时，仍有许多企业家裹足不前──原因可能在于撰写商业计划书牵涉到大量工作，还会让人想起儿时写的冗长乏味的暑期读书报告。但至关重要的是，在撰写商业计划书的过程中，你不仅可以整理出企业运营思路，还可以使计划正式成型落于纸上。原因如下：

It forces you to identify your (and your company's) strengths and weaknesses. You don't want to start a company that is flawed before it's even in business. Sitting down, writing a plan, thinking about everything you bring to the table (whether that's a passion for cupcakes or an enthusiasm for medical software) and considering everything you're lacking (whether that's salesmanship or computer skills) can give you a realistic snapshot of your odds of success. Your goal should be to focus on your strengths and fix any problems that could hamper your growth.
商业计划书促使你找出自身（以及你的公司）的优势和弱势。你一定不想开办一家还没开张就出现问题的公司。坐下来，写一份计划书，思考你所拥有的（不管是对杯型蛋糕还是对医学软件的热情）以及你所缺乏的（不管是营销技巧还是电脑技术），这可以让你大致了解现实的成功机会。你的目标应该集中于自身的优势，并解决可能阻碍企业成长的任何问题。

It helps you figure out how much money you'll need. Entrepreneurs chronically underestimate how much money they'll need to start a business. Keep in mind: a lack of capital is one of the top reasons why businesses struggle or close during the first year. Writing a plan forces you to get a handle on where your money will come from, where it will go and whether it will be enough' not only to get your business off the ground, but also to sustain growth in subsequent years.
商业计划书帮你计算出你需要多少资金。初创企业家习惯于低估创业所需的资金。切记：资本短缺是企业在第一年就举步维艰甚至关门大吉的主要原因之一。撰写商业计划书促使你了解资金从哪儿来，到哪儿去，以及资金是否足够──不仅能使企业起步，而且还能使其在后续年份中持续成长。

It gives you clear direction, which can help eliminate stress. As a business owner, you often have to juggle multiple roles'everything from bookkeeper to CEO' and that can leave you feeling distracted, disorganized and overwhelmed. A document that outlines your mission and plans for the future can prevent overload, help you set realistic goals, keep you on track and boost your productivity.
商业计划书为你指出明确的方向，这有助于消除压力。作为企业所有者，你经常要扮演多重角色──从簿记员到首席执行官的各种职务──这会让你感到头绪纷杂、混乱无序、筋疲力尽。一份概述未来任务与计划的文件可以避免负担过重，帮助你制定现实目标、保持有序经营并提高生产率。

It will serve as a resume when you seek lenders, investors or partners. Most lenders, and certainly any professional investor such as an angel or venture capitalist, will expect to see a business plan before giving you money. Even if you're not seeking outside money, a business plan can be helpful when renting space (a landlord might demand to see one) or seeking a business partner. For partners who start a business together, writing a plan ensures that everyone is on the same page when it comes to the company's mission and strategies.
当你寻找贷款人、投资者或合作伙伴时，商业计划书的作用就好比是简历。多数贷款人，当然还有天使投资人或风险资本家等专业投资者都希望在投资之前看到商业计划书。即使你目前没有从外部融资的打算，商业计划书在租赁场地（房东可能会要求阅读商业计划书）或寻找商业合作伙伴时也会很有帮助。对于一起创业的合作伙伴而言，撰写商业计划书确保每个人对公司宗旨和战略的理解都一致。

It makes you evaluate the market for your product or service and size up the competition. As you write your plan you'll research the current market and see how your product or service might fare against existing offerings. By analyzing your competition, you'll get a sense of how to price your product or service, how to target the right customers and how to make your company stand out, particularly in a crowded marketplace. As you assemble your business plan, you'll see opportunities to fine-tune your concept, avoid problems that could become disasters and ultimately increase your odds of success.
商业计划书会促使你评估自己的产品或服务的市场，并估计竞争的规模。撰写商业计划书时，你会对当前的市场进行调研，了解你的产品或服务如何与现有产品或服务竞争。通过份析竞争环境，你将了解如何为产品或服务定价，如何进行正确的顾客定位，以及如何让你的公司脱颍而出──尤其是在激烈的市场竞争中。在整理商业计划书的内容时，你将看到许多机会，利用这些机会，可以进行细致的理念调整、避免可能酿成灾难的问题并最终增加成功的机会。