Skip to content
Whipple Logo Whipple Logo whipple.dev

Business Plan

Here’s a step-by-step plan that blends CMO vision with CFO rigor—turning a company with zero direction into one with crystal-clear purpose and a path to profitability.

🔁 4-Phase Plan: From No Vision to Profitable Business Clarity

Section titled “🔁 4-Phase Plan: From No Vision to Profitable Business Clarity”

Phase 1: Diagnose & Discover (Weeks 1–2)

Section titled “Phase 1: Diagnose & Discover (Weeks 1–2)”

Goal: Identify real market pain, internal capabilities, and gaps

🔍 CFO-Led Reality Check

Section titled “🔍 CFO-Led Reality Check”
  • Runway assessment: Cash on hand, burn rate, and breakeven horizon
  • Cost structure audit: Fixed vs variable, margin pressure points
  • Unit economics snapshot: LTV:CAC ratio, acquisition cost benchmarks

🧠 CMO-Led Market Reality Check

Section titled “🧠 CMO-Led Market Reality Check”
  • Customer interviews (10–15): “What sucks in your day?” — not “Would you buy X?”
  • Competitive landscape: Who’s winning? What aren’t they doing?
  • Trend scan: Behavior shifts, underserved niches, B2B/B2C shifts
  • Internal brainstorm: What unique skills/resources do we already have?

📌 Deliverable: 1-page “Brutal Truth Brief” summarizing:

  • What we can uniquely solve
  • What’s profitable
  • What excites or frustrates people enough to pay

Phase 2: Sharpen the Spear (Weeks 3–4)

Section titled “Phase 2: Sharpen the Spear (Weeks 3–4)”

Goal: Articulate a Minimum Viable Vision and validate demand

✍️ Brand & Narrative Foundations (CMO)

Section titled “✍️ Brand & Narrative Foundations (CMO)”
  • Draft a 1-line Positioning Statement: For [target], we solve [problem] with [offering]
  • Design a founder’s story that frames the why now? and why us?
  • Identify 1–2 high-trust channels for initial testing (Reddit? LinkedIn? Cold outreach?)

💵 Early Validation (CFO/CMO Joint)

Section titled “💵 Early Validation (CFO/CMO Joint)”
  • Build landing page or Figma prototype
  • Run $100–$500 in ads or organic outreach to test CTA conversion (e.g., waitlist, demo)
  • Ask for pre-orders, deposits, or signed interest letters (actual demand)

📌 Deliverable: Go/No-Go Decision. If traction < 5% conversion or no preorders → kill/refocus.

Phase 3: Build, Brand, & Budget (Month 2–3)

Section titled “Phase 3: Build, Brand, & Budget (Month 2–3)”

Goal: Lock the business model and brand, then pilot

🔨 Business Model (CFO)

Section titled “🔨 Business Model (CFO)”
  • Choose model: SaaS? DTC? Marketplace? Services?
  • Build pricing tiers based on value delivered, not effort
  • Set 3 financial milestones: Revenue, Cash Flow Breakeven, Profitable Growth

🎨 Brand & Demand (CMO)

Section titled “🎨 Brand & Demand (CMO)”
  • Develop a scrappy visual identity (logo, color, tone)
  • Test 2–3 short campaigns for resonance: Meme-style? Case study? Raw founder videos?
  • Create demand loops: Referral, invite, FOMO-based signups

📌 Deliverable: Operating Plan: Clear brand, messaging, CAC targets, budget, and 90-day roadmap.

Phase 4: Scale Signal & Profitability (Month 3–6)

Section titled “Phase 4: Scale Signal & Profitability (Month 3–6)”

Goal: Turn signals into systems

📈 CFO Systems

Section titled “📈 CFO Systems”
  • Monthly dashboards for: CAC, LTV, Churn, Cash Runway
  • Prepare for capital: Bootstrap? Small friends & family? Grant?
  • Set up profit-first accounting or fractional CFO oversight

🔁 CMO Systems

Section titled “🔁 CMO Systems”
  • Build a repeatable marketing engine: Paid + organic + owned media
  • Activate brand evangelists and case studies early
  • Invest in automation + storytelling content flywheel

📌 Deliverable: Weekly review metrics + a compelling pitch deck for funding, partners, or hires.

✅ Final Output (End of 6 Months):

Section titled “✅ Final Output (End of 6 Months):”
  • Clear vision & brand
  • Proven business model
  • Known CAC & sales strategy
  • First $ in the door
  • Profitable path in sight or live