Business Development:

Effective Planning

Business Plan

An essential tool for developing your business and convincing investors

"The seeds of every company's demise are contained in its business plan." 

– Fred Adler

10 Commandments for Building a Growing Business

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail. Prepare and work from a written plan that delineates who in the total organization is to do what, by when. Use your business plan as a budget. If you cannot stick to that budget, your business plan is too ambitious... More

Business plans are an important test of clarity of thinking and clarity of the the business. It is important that everyone involved in your effort has a clear understanding of your objectives. A good plan achieves that.

Anticipating the next stage of business growth, and planning for it, can help to minimize the surprises your business will face. "Surprises can be great for birthdays, but potentially fatal for businesses."

Business plan is typically designed for either or both of the following purposes:

1. To establish a framework for management to use as they pursue the enterprise objectives

2. To convince an investor that a capital investment in the enterprise's business is a sound financial decision

Help tools for preparation of different types of business plans are provided below. If you prepare a business plan for venture capital investors, it is important to understand how investors read a business plan and how they evaluate it.

Title

Author

Description

General Guidelines

Business Plan: Why & How

The best way to show bankers, venture capitalists, and angel investors that you are worthy of financial support is to show them a great business plan. Make sure that your plan is clear, focused and realistic. Then show them that you have the tools, talent and team to make it happen (1 page guide)

The Various "Kinds" of Business Plans

Be aware that not every Business Plan is the same. Not should it be. Different situations (and objectives) require a different focus. (1page listing)

Business Plan DOs and DON"Ts

PricewaterhouseCoopers

If you are preparing your business plan with an objective to raise venture capital, read these brief recommendations first (1 page guidelines) 

Business Planning for Start-up Ventures

Start-up Business Plan

Starting a new technology-led company?  This worksheet will help you to prepare your winning business plan (2 page outline & guide)

Business Plan for e-Ventures

Aspects of the business plan that need special attention in the case of an e-business strategy as against a general business strategy (2 page checklist)

Business Planning Chart

A flowchart illustrating the business planning process from initial idea through business valuation by investors (1 page)

What Every Investor Wants to Know?

Entrepreneurs would receive more serious consideration from VCs, angel investors, and other potential funding sources if they realized that they are selling a financial package to the financial marketplace, rather than their product or service to a consumer. Your business plan is your financial package. (1 page)

How Investors Read a Business Plan

A potential investor will initially spend only 5 minutes with your plan. Guidelines for business plan preparation. Questions answered by business plan. Business plan DOs and DONTs (1 page)

Executive Summary Sample: Strategic Incubator International

An investor-oriented executive summary of the business plan of a start-up for-profit business incubator. (2 page)

Critical Issues in Defining a Venture Opportunity *

Quick and simple, painless, immediately useful, 1-page business plan everybody will understand.  Do this before you attempt to write a full-blown business plan (2 page worksheet)

*  - under preparation