by John Toepfer

As an entrepreneur with a fairly lengthy career focused on starting and growing small businesses, I am often approached by people and asked to invest in their ideas or evaluate their business plans.  The types of businesses plans that cross my desk range from brew-pubs and gyms to educational media and software development companies.  In reviewing these plans and then observing what happens to the businesses that are eventually created, I’ve developed somewhat of a series of litmus test questions that  can tell me pretty quickly if the idea will grow legs.

Nobody can guarantee the success or failure of any startup business.

I’m sure there are plenty of now successful businesses that I would have pronounced DOA.  But let’s call this “my four questions that tell me if you stand a fighting chance.” Continue reading →