CH 15 | Series: Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Reflections | Author: Brent Parker, Resilience Repurposed LLC

Jun 8, 2025 5:40:07 PM

Section A4: Systems

If you can’t explain your startup on four sticky notes, you’re not ready to build it.

In Chapter 15, Colin C. Campbell hands us one of the most actionable tools in the entire Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. playbook: the Four Sticky Note Business Plan. Forget bloated documents or investor decks nobody reads — this framework strips your startup down to the essentials: Story, People, Money, and Systems.

Whether you’re refining your idea or just now turning your vision into a roadmap, this chapter is a must-read. It’s not about over-planning — it’s about starting smart with clarity, purpose, and the right early-stage KPIs. Let’s dive in and sketch a business that’s simple, scalable, and actually makes sense.

Chapter 15 Breakdown: The Four Sticky Note Business Plan

Series: Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Reflections | Section A4: System | Author: Brent Parker, Resilience Repurposed LLC

Welcome to Chapter 15 of the Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Reflections Series
Forget the 40-page business plan template. In this chapter, Colin C. Campbell gives us something better: clarity. The “Four Sticky Note Business Plan” simplifies your startup vision into four essentials — Story, People, Money, and Systems. If your business can't be sketched in a few notes, you're probably not ready to scale it yet.

🧠 You Don’t Have to Know Everything Right Away

This chapter is a relief to founders still figuring it out. Campbell reminds us that the Start phase is about experimentation, not perfection. Uncertainty isn’t a weakness — it’s part of the process (Campbell, 2023).

📌 What Is Your Story?

Sticky Note 1 focuses on your purpose and problem-solving. What’s the big idea? Why should this business exist? Define what change you’re here to create.

👥 What People Do You Need?

Sticky Note 2 is about who you need to reach your first Stage Gate. What roles can be outsourced? Which ones must remain internal? Campbell highlights the importance of clarity around roles — and your limitations.

💰 What Money Do You Need?

Sticky Note 3 helps you break down funding into milestones. How much do you need to launch? What will it take to reach your Stage Gate? Cash isn't optional — it's foundational.

⚙️ What Systems Do You Need?

Sticky Note 4 = KPIs. Campbell pushes founders to identify leading indicators for business health early. Not just revenue, but churn rate, customer acquisition cost, and monthly recurring revenue.

✅ Check, Double-Check, and Triple-Check

This plan isn’t just a feel-good exercise. It's a tool to focus your time, reduce waste, and align your team. Campbell argues it dramatically increases your odds of surviving the chaotic Start phase.

💡 Final Takeaway

Success doesn’t come from complexity — it comes from clarity. The Four Sticky Note Plan is proof that simplicity scales better than spreadsheets. Get focused, get lean, and get going.

🔁 Coming Next: Chapter 16 – Build Your Startup as if You’re Going to Sell

Why wait for exit planning? Next chapter explores how reverse engineering your startup for acquisition improves decisions today — even if you’re years from selling.

💬 Share This With a Future Founder

Know someone who’s lost in the weeds of business planning? This post is their reset button. Share it and save them from paralysis by analysis.

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