(January 2000) Bill McCready is CEO and Founder of Venture Planning Associates, Inc. with offices in San Diego and Las Vegas. The firm provides venture capital and business finance consulting services to startups and high growth ventures, and conducts business with entrepreneurs and investors worldwide over the Internet. In the past year, their Web site, http://www.ventureplan.com, has generated traffic and deal flow from 88 countries. To read articles published by McCready and associates, subscribe to the "Expert-Zine" by send a blank email to join-expert-zine@sonic.sparklist.com. In Part One of this interview, McCready shares his insights on why few start up businesses succeed while most others quickly fail.

	Track 1
McCready explains how Venture Planning Associates was created, citing his own personal experience in losing investment money. "I began to invest in small private companies - we lost quite a bit of money. I decided to learn a lot more about the finance and the development of venture capital and how to control smaller investments."

	Track 2
According to McCready, most business plans will fail, not due to lack of available funds, but due to lack of planning and active involvement. "The real challenge that most investors have is finding a project that is well managed...There is actually more money looking for a good deal than there are good deals looking for money."

	Track 3
McCready believes that the most successful business plans require direct participation from the entrepreneur. "Unless they're personally involved, they're really out of touch with the program they're trying to implement and if they don't understand all of the dynamics [involved]...they can get pretty far off the beam."

	Track 4
McCready explains the "Ten Commandments" - rules to which entrepreneurs must adhere for maximum success with investors. "It's very important that the business define EXACTLY what is to be bought, precisely by whom and why."

	Track 5
According to McCready, many entrepreneurs do not compile the proper paperwork to attract investors, nor do they have realistic expectations of investor return. "A business plan is designed to sell the financial dynamics of your business as opposed to selling your product."

	Track 6
McCready shares his insights on why businesses fail. "Everything changes all of the time. You literally have to be on top of all the issues surrounding your business, plus environmental issues and national and international economies."

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