Let's start with the basics. The purpose of a business model is to show how companies create and deliver value to their customers, thereby obtaining value for themselves, their employees, their shareholders, their clients and customers, their stakeholders, and society as a whole. A business model is at the core of a business plan. The goal of a business model is to summarize the cash flow clearly and easily.

The most common way of representing your business model is through a pictogram or flow chart. Typically, your clients will be on the right side, your business in the middle, and your suppliers on the left. Normally, products and services flow from left to right--in other words, from your suppliers to you (where you add some value) and then to your clients. In contrast, money flows in the opposite direction--from your clients to you and from you to your suppliers. More advanced business models also include the marketing dimension to this structure.

This is where you demonstrate that you can acquire clients in a cost-effective manner. If you explore the clients of your clients and the suppliers to your suppliers, you can add even greater depth to your business model. This may help you discover creative new ways to enhance your business by discovering new relationships between all the players. It will help you visualize your business as part of an ecosystem.