Dear
George,
Actually,
there is very little difference in writing a business plan for a for-profit
business and a non-profit museum. I firmly believe that creating a business
plan is an excellent way to sharpen the thinking of senior staff and board when
used in a retreat. The essentials of any business plan are simple: What do we
want to do (Mission)? Why do we think it will succeed (Needs)? How are we going
to accomplish our goals (Strategy)? Over what period of time are we going to
accomplish our goals (Timeline)? What resources do we need to succeed (Resources)?
The single most important part of any good business plan is the a priori definition
of success!!
I highly recommend
buying any one of the better (cheap) business plan computer software programs
(approx cost $80- $150) dollars or a freebie such as Microsoft Business Plan
module included in many versions of Microsoft Office. All your intern will have
to do is answer the questions presented by the program. If (s)he does not know
the answer you can give the appropriate response. You will find that some
questions you may not even have considered in the course of normal museum operations,
but it will become obvious why these questions are important. For example, a standard question is who is
you closest competitor? The actual answer might surprise you, because it could
turn out to be an amusement park and not another museum. The critical part of
planning is to examine your situation as realistically as possible without the
preconceptions we so often carry with us.
Good luck
and have fun
Nicholas Burlakoff
Consultant
-----Original
Message-----
From: Museum discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of George Garner
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003
6:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Museum Business plans vs.
for-profit business plans
Dear
all,
We are
beginning the dreaded, but vital process of writing a business plan. I am
working with an undergraduate student from a local college's business
department. However, having little experience with business plans I want to
offer him some guidance - especially about the differences between business
plans for the profit and non-profit worlds.
What
differences exist, if any, between for-profit and not-for-profit business
plans? Also, if anyone would mind sharing a copy of theirs (a table of contents
will suffice - just enough to get a template) I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
in advance,
George
Garner
National Speedskating Museum and Hall of
Fame
George Garner, Director and Curator
P.O. Box 3120, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 587-2609