Well, I hope someone will explain to me that I’m just slow…
It clearly states here and here that you do things in this order:
1) Contact a local office for the access code.
2) Register as a new entrepreneur using said access code.
3) Among the many perks of registration, you can use their “Interactive Business Planner” to help you start your business plan.
So I contacted them for the access code, but was told that before they could give it to me, I had to present them with my completed business plan. Uhm, sorry…what? I asked for clarification, citing a link to these instructions, and got this response:
“You will need to have a business plan completed before we can proceed with the access code. All Community Partners request confirmation that a business plan has been prepared (in draft at the very least) before the access code can be provided. The Community Partners offer pre-launch coaching and business plan review but do not offer business plan creation as part of the CYBF application process.”
I responded again, asking for further clarification, and this time copied and pasted in the steps:
A screenshot of the CYBF site.
I am still waiting to hear back.
Have I misunderstood the instructions? I’ve written business plans for clients before, and am confident that I can do it for my own business as well without this tool. It’s just the principle of the thing. Don’t offer something that you can’t deliver! Update/amend your site! How many new business owners must waste time and energy on this?
UPDATE:
Apparently, you have to mention that you want to use their Interactive Business Planner when requesting the code (never mind that I referenced and provided links to their own web site TWICE). I finally received the code, with the message, “I did not realize that you wanted to use the Interactive Business Planner.”
Does that somehow change the meaning of the registration instructions on your site? Either way, you should not be asking for a business plan before giving out the registration code; merely reminding new members that they need to have one completed before applying for the loan itself.
/rant
