How to Write an Effective Executive Summary Pitch      1 First Your business plan will be a pitch Create your presentation first Your executive summary is a concise write-up of your presentation It should truly summarize your entire business plan Assume it is all the investor will read What to      The context The opportunity Your business model The people Risks and rewards 2 Cover The Context   Every opportunity exists within a context What is going on in the world to create your opportunity?     There may be a gap There may be a change occurring There may be a problem that needs solving What circumstances make your opportunity timely? The Opportunity     Explain the need/problem/demand that your business will address How do existing offerings by others fall short? Or, if your idea is something entirely new, why customers will want it? How large is the potential market? Your Business    3 Model Value proposition Value creation and delivery Value capture Value Proposition    Your offering Your target market Your basic strategy and approach to competitive advantage: why will customers want to buy this from you? Value Creation and Delivery    Your value chain: what activities you will undertake? Your position in the value network: how will you reach key suppliers, complementors, and customers Key resources and capabilities: what do you have or are good at that enables you to deliver your value proposition? Value Capture   Sources of revenue Economics of your business: cash flow and margins The People     Identify each team member and key advisers What do they know? Who do they know? How well known are they? Risks and Rewards       Projected sales and net income What are your key assumptions? What could go wrong? What will you do? How much money do you need? How will investors be rewarded? References 1. 2. 3. 4. The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki “How to Write a Great Business Plan” by William Sahlman, Harvard Business Review, July-August 1997 “The Business Model Framework” by James Richardson, jamesr@hawaii.edu “Executive Summary Guide” on the PACE website