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

Preface. I. Overview. II. Elements Of The Scorecard. Element 1. Compelling Unserved Need. Element 2. Explainable Uniqueness. Element 3. Sustainable Differentiation. Element 4. Demonstrable Now. Element 5. Good Competition. Element 6. Bad Competition. Element 7. Compelling Pricing Possible. Element 8. Closable Customers. Element 9. Quality of Evidence of Demand. Element 10. Ahead of the Market. Element 11. Ambush Exposure. Element 12. "Hot Market". PERSONAL. Element 13. Attitude of Confidence and Fearlessness. Element 14. Commitment. Element 15. Staying Power. Element 16. Passion. Element 17. Management Competence. Element 18. Honesty and Integrity. Element 19. Success Ethic. Element 20. Looking Good in the Lobby. OPERATIONS. Element 21. Cash Flowing Now. Element 22. Revenue Model That Swamps Costs. Element 23. Delivery Advantages. Element 24. Resources Available. Element 25. Preemption and Domination. Element 26. Strategy to Penetrate Market. Element 27. Strategy for Breaching the Chasm. Element 28. Proprietary Ownership. Element 29. Partnering Candidates. Element 30. Appropriateness of Location. Element 31. Quality of the Backup Plan. Element 32. Unfair Advantages. FINANCE. Element 33. Manageable Capital Requirements. Element 34. Low Cash Required Before Launch. Element 35. Visible Capital. HARVEST. Element 36. High Potential Value. Element 37. Foreseeable Harvest. DAUNTING NEGATIVES. Element 38. Taboo. Element 39. Lack of Showstoppers. Element 40. Pretending Not To Know. THE STORY. Element 41. High Profile Persons Available. Element 42. Punchy, Compelling Story. CARPE DIEM. Element 43. Government Relevance. Element 44. Low Hanging Fruit. Conclusion of the Coin-Operated Laundry. @PARTHEAD = III. The Scorecard and Beyond. Game Caution. Conclusion. Appendix I. Orion Satellite Corporation. Appendix II. PTAT System, Inc. Appendix III. Creative Destruction. Appendix IV. Innovators Scorecard. Appendix V. Coin-Operated Laundry Example. About the Author. Index.

THOMAS K. McKNIGHT has coached 200+ business launches, helping entrepreneurs develop organizational infrastructure, plan for emerging technologies and intellectual property creation, project cash flow requirements and contingencies, and analyze potential return and valuations. McKnight draws upon 29 years' successful experience as Chairman, CEO, VP, and Consultant in both large companies and start-up/early-stage ventures. At Gannett, he helped to launch USA Today, the largest new venture in the history of print journalism. His background includes time at Smith Barney, the White House, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Marine Corps. He holds a B.S. in Business from Miami University and a J.D. from The Ohio State University.