Will It Fly? How to Know If Your New Business Idea Has Wings...Before You Take the Leap

Will It Fly? How to Know if Your New Business Idea Has Wings...Before You Take the LeapThomas K. McKnightWhen you launch a new business, you're putting it all on the line: your money, your professional and personal relationships, your good name. Make sure you're betting with the odds, not against them!This book will help you systematically evaluate your new business idea based on 44 crucial success factors. You'll know exactly where you stand in as little as 30 minutes. If your idea comes up short, you'll know where it needs improvement--and if you can't improve it, you'll know how to find a better one.Leading entrepreneurial coach Thomas K. McKnight has distilled his experience with 200+ business launches into an incredibly easy-to-use tool for assessing any business or investment opportunity.McKnight covers everything that matters. By following this book's directions, you can get a confidential "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" right now... with no risk, no hassle, and no expensive consultants!- 44 key entrepreneurial success factors- What really matters--and what doesn't- Who needs what you're selling?- A hard-nosed look at the demand for your products or services- Are you and your team up to the job? - Assessing your commitment, passion, and staying power- Survival or domination?- Discovering key advantages that preempt your competitors- Safe landing- Planning viable exit strategies that convert your value to wealthIdentify winning business ideas--and avoid the losers--before you launch, advise, or invest!Introducing Innovator's Scorecard: the breakthrough tool for assessing business opportunities- Score your business idea on 44 crucial success indicators- Get answers in minutes, using exclusive downloadable Excel worksheets- Systematically refine and groom your idea to maximize its value potential- Covers products, services, competition, pricing, strategy, management, finance, operations, personal matters, and much moreWill it fly? That's the #1 question facing everyone with a new business idea. Now, there's a systematic way to answer that question ahead of time--before you invest one dime. In this book, one of the world's leading entrepreneurial consultants introduces Innovator's Scorecard, the first intuitive, practical tool for assessing and refining any new business idea. It is the first defense against the estimated $40 billion lost each year on new ventures that were never destined to go anywhere.The Innovator's Scorecard addresses 44 key facets of business success. For every element, you'll learn what to evaluate, how important it is, how to uncover the information you need, and how to improve your score.By answering these simple questions, you can fine-tune your idea to reduce risk... protect yourself and your investors from losing money... quickly evaluate dozens of new ideas... and dramatically improve your odds of success!"The markets taught us lessons I hope we never forget. McKnight weavesthose lessons into a book that allows us to see into the future of our newbusiness ideas. The next big thing needs to stand on solid financialground, and that's where McKnight steps in to help tomorrow'sinnovators and entrepreneurs."-U.S. Rep. Michael G. Oxley (Fourth Ohio District)Co-author, Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002"This book could only have been crafted in the crucible of launching newbusinesses in the classroom, something about which I have considerableexperience. Clearly, McKnight has touched upon 44 critical elements ofsuccess and if you can score well, you could be on your way to a hugewin. Buy it, use it, and keep it on your desk for repeated reference. It isindeed that good."-Dr. John W. AltmanRobert E. Weissman Professor, Babson College andVice President, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation"McKnight's work involves creating new businesses in the classroom andit is not a surprise to see a tool as effective as 'Innovators ScoreMcKnight, Thomas K. is the author of 'Will It Fly? How to Know If Your New Business Idea Has Wings...Before You Take the Leap', published 2003 under ISBN 9780130462213 and ISBN 0130462217.