Do you want to start a new business? Ever thought of writing a business plan? Think you can just start your new venture without one? You can, but how will you know what you need to do next?

The main reason people write a plan is to obtain funding from a bank or investor. But they generally dread the process of actually writing the plan. The three How to Write a Business Plan books sitting on my shelf may potentially overwhelm the entrepreneur with their long lists of items to include in said plan.

The real value comes from the information you gain about how to start the business, how to run the business and how/when to make changes to the business. The details that go into the plan are important and provide helpful information about the industry and business in general.

Write your plan today. Now is a perfect time to start a new business (yes, a down economy is a great time and they say things are starting to look better albeit slowly…). Listen to this interview with Dave Lindbeck from InStep Coaching at Talk About Success: Creating a Successful Business Plan.