“Mathematics, like English is also a language. It is constructed of symbols… symbols do not follow the same rules as experience. They follow rules of their own. In short, the problem is not in the language, the problem is the language” (emphasis in the original) – Gary Zukav, The Dancing Wu Li Masters p. 290

If you think that building your company is going to follow neatly from your business plan, you’re dead wrong. Business plans are based on a reality separate from experience. In creating a business plan, you are basically setting out to predict the future. And as some have suggested predicting the future is beyond the capabilities of most every entrepreneur.

So what’s an entrepreneur to do? The solution is to go out and build the future you want to see. If you think you need some more of anything to do just that, then read this post and listen to Jason Fried and Jim Coudal’s Opening Remarks at this year’s SXSW festival on this podcast.

Business plans are useful to get you thinking about some of the issues that you’ll face – but don’t think they’re going to get you very far. One of my old profs who started a VC fund said (and I’m paraphrasing here) that the business plan was just there to show them that the people had done some homework. He invested in people, not business plans.

Everyone knows the numbers and projections are BS. Don’t keep that in mind when you’re doing them. If you’re looking to start something – if you can – start small and learn as you go. There’s really no substitute for experience.

Technorati Tags: businessplan, experience, entrepreneur