Timmon's Model of the Entrepreneurial Process

Change the odds: Fix It, Shape It, Mold It, Make It
 The process starts with opportunity, not money, strategy, networks, teams, or the business plan. Most genuine opportunities are much bigger than either the talent and capacity of the team or initial resources available to the team. The role of the lead entrepreneur and the team is to juggle all these key elements in a changing environment. Think of a juggler bouncing up and down on a trampoline that is moving on a conveyor belt at unpredictable speeds and directions, while trying to keep all three balls in the air.That is the dynamic nature of an early-stage start-up. The business plan provides the language and code for communicating the quality og the three driving forces of the Timmons Model and of their fit and balance.
In the entrepreneurial process depicted in the Timmond Model, the shape, size and depth of the opportunity establishes the required shape, size, and depth of both the resources and the team. We have found the many people are a bit uncomfortable viewing the opportunity and resources somewhat precariously balanced by the team. It is especially disconcerting to some because we show the three key elements of entrepreneurial process as circles, an thus the balance appears tenuous. These reactions are justified, accurate and realistic. The entrepreneurial process is dynamic. Those who recognize the risks better manage the process and garner more return.
The lead entrepreneur's job is simple enough. He or she must carry the deal by taking charge of the success equation. In this dynamic context, ambiguity and risk are actually friends. Central to the homework, creative problem solving and strategizing, and due diligence that lies ahead is analyzing the fits and gaps that exist in the venture. Make the necessary by  figuring out how to fill the gaps and improve the fit and attract key players  who can add such value, then the odds for the success rise significantly. In essence, the entrepreneur's role is to manage and redefine the risk-reward equation-all with an eye towards sustainability.