Business Plan Experts Part 2

In my previous post I mentioned two industry experts, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, and listed a few of the characteristics that I consider to be the basis for why their companies are so successful. That was three weeks ago and now a few major changes have hit both companies since then. Steve Jobs has stepped down as Apple CEO and Facebook has adopted privacy settings similar to rival Google+.

This may not be the first time that Jobs has stepped down from Apple, but it is the first time that he will leave while Apple continues to increase in success. While Jobs' health may be questionable, some like John Dvorak have theorized that Jobs stepped down so that Tim Cook could take his place. Dvorak also Cook has been "acting" CEO for months and if Jobs had not stepped down, then his CEO position could have been up for grabs (Dvorak).

This is a great example of knowing how to use leadership skills to best support your company. Jobs will still have a hand in some of Apple's dealings and he also made sure that Apple would not stumble if something were to happen to his health. It is also an example of how focused Jobs is on Apple. As I stated in my previous blog, there is not much Apple leaves to chance with it's products. Every item is researched, tested and designed to exact specifications (Kahney, 2008) and I do not think that Jobs would ultimately allow someone without that vision to take over when something does go wrong with his health. I want to incorporate a similar approach in my company, but I also want to be open to change when it is best for my company.

My company is small and for now does not need to be anything larger than a basic sole proprietorship but I am considering a partnership when I can no longer handle the responsibilities and need to expand. This will allow someone else to handle the affairs of the company should anything happen to me. The most important section of my business plan is my financial plan. Investors will want to see how quickly we can turn a profit and if our start-up can grow as fast as the others here in the greater Seattle area.


Dvorak, J. "Contrarian view of Steve Jobs’s decision ." Market Watch. Wall Street Journal, 25 Aug 2011. Web. 28 Aug 2011. .

Kahney, Leader. (2008, March 18). How apple got everything right by doing everything wrong . Wired , 16(04), Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-04/bz_apple