Musketeer as Entrepreneur (Part 3): The Business Plan

In the previous installment, Planchet (the prospective investor, or venture capitalist) is getting the pitch from his former boss, D'Artagnan (the entrepreneur, and until recently the Lieutenant of the King's Musketeers). His presentation -- all spoken, since this is long before the arrival of PowerPoint -- is rich in emotion and carefully spun to play on Planchet's inner desires.

From their many years together in times past, D'Artagnan knows his audience well and has tuned his proposal accordingly. He is also a great wit and he takes the opportunity to tease Planchet, who has perhaps gotten a little too comfortable in his new career. This humourous aspect of their conversation is not only entertaining, it demonstrates that D'Artagnan keeps control of the agenda; it is important for an entrepreneur to never let a potential investor wrest away this control.

We have now reached the point in the presentation where D'Artagnan must open the kimono and reveal his venture's objective and business plan. It is a grand one, and of great historical significance. Dumas is a master at twisting the pages of history so that he can weave his characters into the narrative while simultaneously making it credible that these same characters fail to appear in the historical narratives of later ages.

"Planchet, I have an idea."
...
"I wish to replace upon his throne this King Charles II., who has no throne..."

It would be an understatement to say that this is an insanely improbable venture. For one man, even one as accomplished and skilled as the inestimable D'Artagnan, this is truly audacious. Despite his complete confidence in his former master, Planchet is rightly concerned. He must carefully probe into the business plan since there are considerable obstacles. D'Artagnan must address these if he is to get a term sheet.

Planchet made a prodigious bound in his chair. "Ah, ah!" said he, in evident terror, "that is what you call a restoration! ...But have you reflected seriously?"

"Upon what?"

"Upon what is going on yonder."

"Where?"

"In England."

"And what is that? Let us see, Planchet."

"In the first place, monsieur, I ask you pardon for meddling in these things, which have nothing to do with my trade; but since it is an affair that you propose to me - for you are proposing an affair, are you not? - "

"A superb one, Planchet."

"But as it is business you propose to me, I have the right to discuss it."

"Discuss it, Planchet; out of discussion is born light."

"Well, then, since I have monsieur's permission, I will tell him that there is yonder, in the first place, the parliament."

"Well, next?"

"And then the army."

"Good! Do you see anything else?"

"Why, then the nation."

"Is that all?"

"The nation which consented to the overthrow and death of the late king, the father of this one, and which will not be willing to belie its acts."

"Planchet," said D'Artagnan, "you argue like a cheese! The nation - the nation is tired of these gentlemen who give themselves such barbarous names, and who sing songs to it. Chanting for chanting, my dear Planchet; I have remarked that nations prefer singing a merry chant to the plain chant..."
...
"I say that I borrow twenty thousand livres of M. Planchet, and that I put twenty thousand livres of my own to it; and with these forty thousand livres I raise an army."

Planchet clasped his hands; he saw that D'Artagnan was in earnest, and, in good truth, he believed his master had lost his senses.

"An army! - ah, monsieur," said he, with his most agreeable smile, for fear of irritating the madman, and rendering him furious, - "an army! - how many?"

"Of forty men," said D'Artagnan.

We now come to the competitive analysis part of the discussion. D'Artagnan has already given the matter some thought and is ready to answer the investor's pointed questions. His competitors are large, well-financed and comfortably established. Or so it seems to Planchet. D'Artagnan through his own research and greater insight into the industry -- the business of ruling England -- remains confident and able to respond to the investor's concerns.

"Forty against forty thousand! that is not enough. I know very well that you, M. d'Artagnan, alone, are equal to a thousand men; but where are we to find thirty-nine men equal to you? Or, if we could find them, who would furnish you with money to pay them?"

"...I shall fight no pitched battles, my dear Planchet," said the Gascon, laughing.
...
"We have set aside the nation, which prefers singing merry songs to psalms, and the army, which we will not fight; but the parliament remains, and that seldom sings."

"Nor does it fight. How is it, Planchet, that an intelligent man like yourself should take any heed of a set of brawlers who call themselves Rumps and Barebones? The parliament does not trouble me at all, Planchet."

"...Well, this M. Monk, who has England ready-roasted in his plate, and who is already opening his mouth to swallow it - this M. Monk, who says to the people of Charles II., and to Charles II. himself, '_Nescio vos_' - "

"I don't understand English," said Planchet.

"Yes, but I understand it," said D'Artagnan. "'_Nescio vos_' means 'I do not know you.' This M. Monk, the most important man in England, when he shall have swallowed it - "

"Well?" asked Planchet.

"Well, my friend, I shall go over yonder, and with my forty men I shall carry him off, pack him up, and bring him into France, where two modes of proceeding present themselves to my dazzled eyes."

"Oh! and to mine too," cried Planchet, transported with enthusiasm. "We will put him in a cage and show him for money."

"Well, Planchet, that is a third plan, of which I had not thought."

"Do you think it a good one?"

"Yes, certainly, but I think mine better."

"Let us see yours, then."

Our entrepreneur is doing well so far. He has quelled the investor's concerns about the competition with a business plan that has as one of its key features the intention of operating by stealth rather than meeting his formidable competitors on their ground. That is a wise approach. He has also deftly deflected the less-knowedgable investor in his attempt to meddle with the business plan. This, too, is important since having a micro-managing investor underfoot would only imperil the venture. D'Artagnan sticks to his plan just as he should since he, not the investor, has the expertise to develop a workable business plan and put it into action.

In the next installment, we'll continue the dialogue between Planchet and D'Artagnan and see the final part of the business plan and how D'Artagnan has arrived at his forecast of revenue and ROI (return on investment).