-, 9 HOW TO SPOT AN INTRAPRENEUR- FRIENDLY COMPANY kay, we've established the fact that many companies offer a nurturing environment for their innovative and intraprising employees. But where do you go from here? How do you locate and select among those companies with an established commitment to intrepreneurial directly relatable to an unwillingness to promote and develop new ideas.) " How likely is it that you will be free to use the resources of other divisions, or of outside vendors, to support your ideas? * Is it sometimes easier to develop new ideas in a service industry, as opposed to a product industry? And, if so, does the com- pany you are considering have a significant service aspect to which you can devote your innovative thinking? (For example, a service company which runs a tax-prepara- tion service would be far more likely to branch, say, into the financial planning industry; start-up costs would be minimal, and there already would exist a strong iden- tification with a targeted clientele. It would be far more difficult, obviously, to convince a company that sells toothpicks that it should consider developing a teethclean- ing appliance for home use.) " Has the company demonstrated the patience to wait as long as several years for a new venture to turn a profit? Look fora ready acceptance of new ideas when considering your first job. "Managers have to pay attention to building a good en- vironment for intrapreneurs or they'll lose their most imaginative and courageous people," says Pinchot. "Big companies are losing intrapreneurs at a pretty good rate, who go out to become entrepreneurs because they aren't given an opportunity inside" But remember, if you want your ideas to happen, you have to fight for them; you have to become your own passionate champion in order to gain funding, free- dom and support. "I think that it is right for corporations to put resistance on people who want to spend money on new ideas,' Pinchot admits. "You should have to fight for it. There just isn't enough money to give everybody whatever they want. I trust the corporate immune system to provide ade- quate resistance:" HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN The Oerican Express Real Life Planneo You can't simply walk into your boss's office and say, "Hey, I've got a great idea!" and expect to be shown anything but the door. In fact the only effective way to thoroughly detail your strategies- whether as a traditional entrepreneur or as a company-sponsored visionary-is through a business plan. This is a cor- porate blueprint for any start-up venture, your principal working document that will explain to others exactly what your idea is, what it is you've learned about the market you intend to serve, and how it is you've come to learn it. You've all heard somebody ask you to tell them everything you know in a nutshell -well, the business plan is the busi- nessman's nutshell. "No one expects a business plan to be one hundred percent accurate in hindsight;' observes Jeffrey A. Stern, author of the book How to Become Financially Independent Before You're 35. "It's not likely that you will be held accountable five years down the road if the business hasn't performed accord- ing to your plan. But that doesn't mean you can dismiss things like accuracy and logic from your assumptions." Stern suggests that you offer no hid- den agendas in your business plan, that you don't fudge your numbers to satisfy a "yes" or "no" decision for your proposal. "You have to remember that a business plan is a first step;' he says. "If it's enough to generate interest, then there will be plenty of time to run 'What If?' scenarios, to look at the thing more closely. But the business plan has got to be based on accurate assumptions, because without them your backers will have nothing real to go on" A business plan, according to Stern, should serve four distinct functions: 1. To measure the new business or product against other possible business starts. A true intrapreneur will be looking at several possible ventures, and a thorough business plan will help assess the value of one idea against another. 2. To understand the issues of running a business. The only way to truly grasp the dynamics of your plan is to set it down on paper, run numbers, and rea- sonably predict when and how the investment of time and money will pay off. 3. To help you determine priorities. By relating assumptions to numbers you can better define your priorities, and then you are positioned to make deci- sions to effect the largest scope of your proposed business. 4. To quantifygoals. A business plan can help establish realistic targets for your business or product on a years-long or month-to-month basis. "The business plan should be thorough and well-organized,' Stern offers, "particularly in the footnotes. Special Advertising Supplement 0 How to buy shades. 0 0 , Vk ventures? Below, we offer a list of ques- tions to ask yourself when considering a first job opportunity and the possible free- doms you'll have to develop and imple- ment your own ideas: e Does the company share your enthusi- asm and commitment to innovation? Is innovation vital to that company's success? (If the company can't point out at least one creative, internal start-up venture, then it might be a good idea to take your business elsewhere.) * Will you have access to a high-level cor- porate sponsor in a position to help you fight for your new ideas? Will you need to gain approval directly from the company head, or will you be able to build a network of in-house support as your plan makes its way up the corporate ladder? * Does the company have a program in place that rewards creativity, offering bonuses or equity-positions where new ideas lead to company successes? * Is the company in a position to encourage risk taking and to absorb mistakes? (You'll often find that companies in leadership positions in their fields will be more likely to finance new ventures. You should think twice before signing on with companies that lag well behind their competition; you'll often find that their poor performance is With the American Express* Card you can buy everything from new spectacles to some pretty spectac- ular clothing. The latest in audio equipment and the latest albums. The Card is the perfect way to pay for just about anything you'll want during college. How to get the Card before you graduate. Because we believe that college is the first sign of success, we've made it easier for you to get the American Express Card. Graduating students can get the Card as soon as they accept a $10,000 career-oriented job. If you're not graduating this semester, you can apply for a special sponsored Card. Look for student applications on campus. Or call 1-800-THE- CARD, and tell them.you want a student application. The American Express Card. Don't leave school without it"" a m o matter how great your idea, no matter how innovative and revolutionary, you'll need to communicate your vision in a way your colleagues and bosses can understand.