MindmapPal
Free tools
EN
Join the waitlist

Use case · Founders

Mind maps for founders

How founders use mind maps to shape a business plan, size up competitors, plan a launch and decide what comes first, with ready-made templates.

Who this is for

Founders and solo operators who decide what to build, who to sell to and what to do this week, usually with little time and no one to check the plan. They carry strategy, product and marketing in one head.

What a mind map does for founders

  1. Get the whole business on one page

    Branch customers, problem, offer, channels, costs and risks, so you can see which part of the plan is thinnest.

  2. Compare yourself with competitors

    Give each competitor a branch of what they do, who they serve and where they are weak, then look for your gap.

  3. Plan a launch you can run alone

    List what must be live before launch, what happens on the day and what follows, with one owner on each branch.

  4. Decide what to do this quarter

    Put objectives in the centre and cut the branches until you can finish what is left.

Templates to start from

  • Business plan mind map template

    A business plan mind map with problem, solution, customers, competition, go to market, operations, team and finances, to test an idea on one page.

  • Product roadmap mind map template

    A product roadmap mind map on a timeline, from now to next quarter to later, with the vision, themes, bets for each phase, and what is out of scope.

  • Competitor analysis mind map template

    A competitor analysis mind map comparing rivals on offer, price, reputation and reach, to find the gap you can own and the first move to test.

  • Product launch plan mind map template

    A product launch plan mind map that runs from six weeks out to the first week after, with the goal, pitch, press kit, launch-day tasks and risks.

  • Customer journey map mind map template

    A customer journey map as a mind map, from awareness to consideration, purchase, first use, support and loyalty, with what customers do, feel and need.

  • OKR planning mind map template

    An OKR planning mind map with objectives, key results, initiatives, owners and check-ins, so a quarter's goals fit on one page.

Why a map helps when you are the whole team

Early plans fail by omission, not by error. A map makes omissions visible: an empty branch for pricing or support is a prompt to think about it now.

Where to start

Use the business plan template and spend ten minutes filling the branches with one line each. Rough is fine. Export a PNG to share with an adviser or co-founder.

Free tools for founders

On iPhone and iPad

MindmapPal for iPhone and iPad is a cute, fully native app with no sign-up, so an idea you have on a walk goes straight into a map. Maps live on the device and in your own iCloud.

Join the waitlist

Coming soon to the App Store