CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN FOR YOUR IMPACT PROJECT
In recent years, many conscious entrepreneurs have stepped up. They had the time and desire to start or grow Impact Projects. Unfortunately, the number of projects that are successful in the long run is quite small. When you make a business plan, the chances of sustainable success increase significantly.
NO SUSTAINABLE IMPACT WITHOUT A PLAN
We regularly receive inquiries from enthusiastic people with good ideas. They have started a project, alone or with a few friends. For a while it goes well, but then they run into a problem. They lack time, resources, or knowledge. In short, they get stuck. This is often the point at which they come to us.
Yes, the drive, belief and enthusiasm of the initiator(s) are indispensable for a successful impact project. But they are not enough. When I ask about the purpose of the impact project, I quickly notice that there are many unknowns. There is an idea, a dream, but no clear goal has been set. As a result, a focused action plan is missing.
A HOBBY OR A BUSINESS ?
Yes but, an Impact Project is not a business, is it? I don’t need to make a business plan for that, do I? This is a common reaction and a misconception.
Do you only want to ‘work’ on your project when you and/or your friends have time and/or feel like it? If that’s the case then the project is just a hobby. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t need to make a business plan for this.
Do you want your Impact Project to make a noticeable difference in the world, now and in the future? Then you want to make sure that your project grows sustainably and continues to exist even when you are no longer around. In this case, you need to make a business plan.
START WITH THE QP CANVAS
Of course, the values and goals of Impact Projects are somewhat different. Making a financial profit is secondary to positive impact. Still, recurring income must be generated to pay for ongoing expenses.
With the QP Business Manifestation Canvas, QP Canvas for short, you map out the “what, why and how” of your Impact Project. It is a working document that makes clear at a glance what you are going to do, why you are going to do it and how you are going to make it happen. You create the QP Canvas primarily for yourself, to create clarity and a handle. It is a flexible document that grows with you during each step of the QP Quest. You are going to review your QP Canvas regularly, adjust it and make adjustments as needed.
5 QUINTANTS OF THE QP CANVAS
The QP canvas is divided into 5 parts where you go from idea to impact.
1. Intention and purpose
Everything starts with the intention of the initiator. This is the idea, the dream, and the positive impact you want to make with the Impact Project.
2. Creation
Next, you are going to translate your idea into the concrete win-win-win value that you want to deliver. Win for society and/or planet, win for everyone involved and win for the project itself. This takes shape in one or more products and/or services. You take action to communicate your offering and close the sale. All of these elements are reflected in the startup phase of the QP Quest.
3. Connection
Starting and/or scaling up a sustainable Impact Project is not something you do alone. You do it together with your team, your partners, your investors and of course with your customers. You start creating procedures and systems. This is the scale-up phase of the QP Quest.
4. Contribution
Now that the foundation of your Impact Project is solid, you can continue to scale up and expand your impact both locally and globally. You now have the time, resources and knowledge to start supporting new Impact Projects yourself. This makes the cycle complete. This quintant returns in the sustain-up phase of the QP Quest.
5. Figures
Last but certainly not least, the numbers. This quintant makes it immediately clear what income you need to pay your operating expenses. If you need extra budget to bridge a period of time and/or to make investments, then you will need to set up a financing strategy. Impact Lending may be part of the solution.
Thus, the 5 quintants help manifest your project from energy to matter.
THE EXAMPLE OF QUANTUMPRENEUR
We walk our talk. QuantumPreneur is itself an Impact Project and we use the QP Canvas in our daily operations. To illustrate, we have highlighted some elements of our QP Canvas as applied to the QuantumPreneur Project.
It is the intention and goal of QuantumPreneur to support Impact Projects from idea to impact. In doing so, we always consider a win-win-win. Win for the Impact Entrepreneurs, Win for the Impact Lenders and Impact Investors, Win for the societies where we roll out our Impact Projects, Win for the QuantumPreneur team, partners and stakeholders.
To support Impact Entrepreneurs we have developed various services and products such as a strategic mentoring program, outsourcing of part-time staff and professionals, funding solutions, the QP Impact Club where Impact Entrepreneurs connect with each other and with Impact Investors, just to name a few. We contribute by continuously supporting new Impact Projects.
In the Co-Creation Circles we connect with experts and professionals worldwide to come up with solutions to today’s challenges. This knowledge and experience is shared in our QP Impact Club so that together we can build a better society with respect for people and planet.
EXPLORE MORE SHARINGS
If you like to hear more about starting and growing your Impact Project, I welcome you to watch our free QP Quest mini-training. Among other things, we will be talking about the QP Canvas and building your team as well as funding and financing of your Impact Project.
If you prefer to connect in a live meeting, I invite you to join a live Connection Call.
I’m looking forward to connect.
