An emerging Dorset tech business has launched an online business planning platform.
Plana is available through subscription and has been developed to encourage more entrepreneurs and business owners to prepare and benefit from an up-to-date and practical business plan.
Mark Painter, an experienced business growth consultant, designed Plana to enable the business owner and other stakeholders – such as key employees, external consultants and mentors – to all work together remotely and create a business plan that makes a tangible difference to business performance.
Plana’s step-by-step method breaks down tasks into bite-sized chunks to simplify the process.
Once a business plan has been finalised, it can be used as a working document to ensure that employee objectives are aligned with corporate goals.
Painter, who was previously a business development manager for business engagement at Bournemouth University, said: “Many entrepreneurs and businesses just don’t have the time, resources or inclination to start writing a plan, even though the potential benefits are massive.
“A business plan provides actions, timescales and objectives which keep owners focused and accountable – if there is no direction, a company runs the risk of going under through making poor decisions, often knee-jerk ones, without any strategic thinking.
“Plana was developed by me to make the planning process simpler and, by working remotely, enable owners to access valuable input from external specialists.
“I attended a large networking event recently and, in an on-the-spot straw poll, there were few shows of hand from owner managers who actually have a business plan – there is clear market need from many of the UK’s 1.4m businesses employing between 1 to 49 people.”
Plana has been supported by funding from SWIG Finance, a social enterprise providing loans and support to small businesses in the South and West Country.
Jo MacEachen, senior Start-up loans manager at Truro-based SWIG, said: “Having run his own business before, and supported other businesses, Mark is no stranger to business planning.
“The Plana platform has been carefully developed over time and we are sure that this will have a far-reaching impact on many budding entrepreneurs.”
