The Balance Between Planning and Action: When to Launch Your Startup

My husband said something the other day that really stuck with me:

You can continue to plan and plan and plan, but if all you're ever doing is planning, you'll never take action.

That statement hit home because not only did it apply to me and my fears about starting a new venture but also because, as a business consultant, I see this all the time with new entrepreneurs. You can spend months—sometimes years—developing the perfect business plan, mapping out customer journeys, selecting software, and documenting every single detail of how your business will operate.

Planning is essential, yes—but at what point does planning become a roadblock instead of a roadmap?

Let’s explore this dilemma and answer one of the most common questions aspiring entrepreneurs ask:

How do I know when it’s time to launch?

The Importance of Planning in Business 📝

Let’s be clear—planning is crucial. A well-thought-out strategy ensures that your business runs efficiently, offers a seamless customer experience, and creates a repeatable process for success.

Without it, you risk launching into chaos.

When you start a business, here are some aspects you need to plan for:

• 📦 Your product or service offering

• 🎯 Your ideal customer and their journey

• ⚙️ Your operations and software tools

• 💰 Your pricing model

• 📣 Your marketing strategy

But here’s the catch:

Planning is not the only part – you also have to act!

Business is an iterative process. Once you launch, you’ll learn new things from your customers that will help refine your approach.

So the real question is:

At what point do you stop planning and start acting?

The MVP Approach: Testing Before You Fully Commit 🛠️

One of the best ways to determine if you’re ready to launch is by testing your Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP is a simplified version of your product or service that allows you to test your concept with real customers before investing too much time and money into perfecting it.

A fast and easy way to create an MVP is to use simple tools that are readily available. These could be things you already have lying around your house. Of course your MVP will be unique to your business. The point of the exercise is to not spend oodles of money and time creating the 'perfect' product or service, but instead crafting an über-basic version with what you have so that you can test the concept first.

Here are three ideas to get you started:

1. Creating a product? Use cardboard or something similar to make a mock version.

2. Designing an app? Use paper or sticky notes to map out the app design.

3. Selling an experience or service? Use what you already have to create the experience/service deliverable.

Then, ask yourself:

✅ Have I tested my MVP with real potential customers?

🗣️ What feedback have I received? Did I even ask for feedback?

🎯 Did my MVP meet customer expectations and solve their pain points?

🔄 Have I made improvements based on feedback?

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of launching without any testing at all. This is highly risky. You don’t want to invest months or years into a business only to realize later that customers don’t actually want what you’re offering.

So Who Should You Test Your MVP On?

1. Friends and Family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 – They will give you brutally honest feedback, but take it with a grain of salt since they may not be your target audience.

2. Trusted Industry Connections 🤝 – If you have contacts in your field, their insights can be incredibly valuable.

3. Target Market Testers 🎯 – The most important group! You need feedback from some people who would actually buy your product or service.

Measuring Readiness: The Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Once you’ve tested your MVP, you need data to make an informed decision. One of the best ways to measure market readiness is by using the Net Promoter Score (NPS).

This is a one-question survey that asks customers:

On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this product or service to a friend or colleague?

Responses are categorized into three groups:

• Promoters (9-10) 😊 – These are your raving fans who will refer others to your business.

• Passives (7-8) 😐 – They liked your product but weren’t blown away.

• Detractors (0-6) 😞 – These customers were not satisfied and would not recommend you.

How to Use Your NPS Score to Decide If You’re Ready to Launch

If the majority of your respondents are Promoters, you’re ready to go to market. Get out there and launch!

If most responses fall into the Passive category, refine your offering before launching. Use any input or feedback received from your testers to make the product/service solve a pain point for your customer. Retest the updated version of your MVP, resend the NPS question, and regrade the results.

If you have too many Detractors, your product or service likely needs major improvements. Go back to the drawing board, consider staying in your day job a bit longer, and more importantly ask yourself: “what makes my company different than the competition?” The key to business success lies in solving customer problems in unique ways.

The Takeaway: Test Your MVP Before You Feel 100% Ready

There is no “perfect time” to launch a business. If you wait until everything is flawless, you might never start at all. Instead, aim for progress over perfection.

Your business will evolve. You will make mistakes. You will pivot. That’s the reality of entrepreneurship.

The key is to find the balance between planning and taking action. Get enough feedback to validate your idea, test your MVP, analyze your NPS score, and then go for it. 🚀

📚 I’m currently writing a book called Build a Savvy Startup, which outlines step-by-step actions to help new entrepreneurs navigate the startup process with confidence. In addition, I’m developing digital courses so aspiring entrepreneurs can learn and apply this knowledge on their own schedule. Sound interesting? Sign up for the pre-launch and be part of the first group to have exclusive access to this content.

📩 Want to join 500+ members who have a headstart in the business world? Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to receive expert tips, strategies, and real-world startup guidance! 🔥

About the Author

Caroline Y. Beasley is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in California, Florida, and Virginia, with over 20 years of experience in business, accounting and tax. She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Florida. Caroline has a proven track record of helping organizations improve profitability, optimize operations, and achieve sustainable growth.

A former Big 4 and Big 8 public accountant, Caroline proactively helps small and mid-sized organizations and their high net worth owners navigate the business and tax landscape. She currently serves as the Chair for the Women’s Leadership Committee at the Florida Institute of CPAs and is the Local Chapter Lead in Hampton Roads, Virginia for the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce.

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Caroline Beasley, MBA, CPA Proactive Business Consultant | AI Aficionado | Entrepreneur Ent…