In interpreting your results, please keep these factors in mind:
- It's a snapshot, not a trend. You have just taken a snapshot of the moving picture that is your business. This does not tell you what direction your business is moving in.
- Correlation is not causality. While the factors in the report closely correlate with entrepreneurial success, they do not guarantee success. Entrepreneurial success comes from many things, including smart execution, hard work, and just plain luck. While the report shows tendencies, it is still possible to score well and still fail; and conversely, it's possible to score poorly and still succeed.
- Garbage in, garbage out. These scores are based on information you provided. If you're not honest with yourself in your scoring, the results will reflect this.
Because of these factors, it's important to use this report as a guide to a deeper understanding of your business concept and execution. Use this to help tell you where to focus your time, where to improve your processes, and where to get help.
We strongly advise that companies preparing to make a significant investment in their business development have their results reviewed or audited. The Entrepreneurial Standards Forum Benchmark Review service is an independent examination of your Benchmark Survey to ensure the accuracy of the scores, and to assist you in interpreting your scores. The Benchmark Audit is a more comprehensive examination of your business, using the Benchmark Survey as an analytical tool.
More information about Benchmark Reviews and Audits is available here.
