Page 226 - 6 Secrets to Startup Success

Appendix A: Startup Readiness Tool 205

TECHNOLOGY

E5. What key processes and systems are required to develop, sell and
deliver your products/services?

E6. What is your sourcing plan for key processes and systems?
E7. What partners may be necessary to provide, build, or support

them?

TEAMWORK

E8. Who are your key relationships, inside and outside your business—
relationships that must work well for your business to thrive?

E9. Are team goals, roles, and accountabilities clear? How strong
are relationships, trust, chemistry?

E10. What management practices (regular meetings, team-development
processes, social events, etc.) are in place for continual strength-
ening of the team?

INTEGRITY OF COMMUNICATION

E11. How open are you to considering new ideas or data that might
contradict your business plan? Who do you utilize as a neutral
sounding board or devil’s advocate (someone who won’t sugarcoat
an opinion and will push back on your thinking)?

E12. To what extent are tough or awkward issues raised and discussed
among key players (versus feel-good conversations)? How are
differences of opinion raised and resolved? How is bad news han-
dled?

E13. How open and transparent is your business plan and operation for
those who need to know (key partners, investors, team members,
etc.)?

E14. What important issues seem undiscussable? Why?

American Management Association • www.amanet.org