What are the Tips on how to prepare a good business plan? Give an example?
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Where have you been lets say the past decade? This question has been resolved.
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Below is a FREE sample business plan for an Internet cafe\n\nhttp://www.bplan.com/spv/3142/index.cfm?affiliate=sba\n\nHere are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp\n- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp\n- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/\n- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html \n-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf\n- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid\n- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html\n-\nSome recommended books are :\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nHope that the above resources help
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Extra sections are good, but I suggest you focus on providing more ooomph to your business plan by finetuning the basics. \n\nAccording to the book “The ABC's of Writing Winning Business Plans: How to Prepare a Business Plan That Others Will Want to Read -- and Invest In” http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446694150/powerhomebizguid by Garrett Sutton, below are some tips to make a winning business plan that can get funding:\n\n- Money follows management. Investors look first at the people involved in the company. If you are just starting out and don’t have relevant experience, investors expect to see that you have an experienced team of advisors and employees helping you in the business. \n\n- Make sure you “sell” the one reason your business will become profitable. \n\n- State clearly the strategies you will employ to get the word out about your business. Your business plan must show how you will leverage the Internet, public relations, viral marketing, and other strategies to attract customers. \n\n- Present realistic estimates of the time, energy and costs of building a successful business. Do not underestimate or overestimate revenues. While investors know your numbers are simply guesses, they want to see that your numbers are within the “range of reality.” Be careful of your financial statements: this is one area where you can easily lose credibility if presented poorly. \n\n- Benchmark similar companies to show that you’ve done your homework and researched the market. \n\n- Your Executive Summary is your calling card. If it is not a winner, investors may not even read your entire plan. Emphasize your own as well as your team’s track record in the Executive Summary. \n\n- Before sending your business plan to lenders and investors, send it out first to a few in order to get feedback. You’d want to correct your plan if someone tells you that you’re way off mark, rather than have a potential investor tell it to you and lose the chance to get the funding you need.
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Bplans.com has several free business plans, one of which is for a steak house. Read through it and get the strategies and lessons that you think would work for your business\n\nhttp://www.bplans.com/spv/3228/6.cfm\n\nOther resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nI also suggest you check out the following books for ideas on how to successfully start a restaurant business:\n\n- Starting a Small Restaurant, Revised Edition by Daniel Miller \n- Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Restaurant, 2E (The Complete Idiot's Guide) by Howard Cannon  \n- Everything Guide to Starting And Running a Restaurant: Secrets to a Successful Business! (Everything: Business and Personal Finance) by Ronald Lee Restaurateur and Ronald Lee\n- Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Business Starter Kit: How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan and Feasibility Study by Sharon Fullen
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HI.  I think you're off to a great start so far!  You'd be surprised as to how many people don't ask themselves and each other those same questions before starting a partnership/business.  What you have to do is take those questions and form a business plan that answers all of them and any more you come up with along the way.  A business plan will help you decide how you will split money, costs, responsibilities, and so much more.  I often tell people who want to start their own business that a business plan is great to have, but the best part is in creating one.  During that creation process you and your partners will "forecast" your needs and expectations which will act as a valuable guide down the line.  This way, you have your plan in writing and there is less of a chance for a "he said/ she said" type of conflict typical of a business where everyone just jumped in without anyone knowing what belongs to who or who does what.  \nTo answer your question more directly, you and your friend decide how it all works.  You can go 50-50, for example.  Or you can go 25-75 too.  It all depends on how much risk you want to both share or not share for that matter.  Obviously, if you put in 75% of the money for everyday costs, I would expect you'd want 75% of the profits.  However, it doesn't always have to be that way.  You can put in 75% (for example) of the startup costs but decide to split the profits 50-50.  Another consideration is a "buy-out" clause.  Should one of you decide that you no longer want to be part of the business, the other should have the option to buy out his or her partner.  It's all up to you and your partner.  Just make sure to put it in writing (in a contract, formal or informal), signed by all parties involved, and a couple of witnesses.  Include your full names, the dates, and your business plan.  This will not only help keep track of everyone's job descriptions, but will protect you and your partner in the long run.    \nGood luck and I wish you success!
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First step is a business plan (a really good one) your ideas, what money will be going out and what will be coming in (you have to second guess these things) and a trip to the bank for advice. A course on running a small business would help too, I did one and it turned me right off the idea lol.
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Here are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n\nSome recommended books are (linked to Amazon so you can easily learn more about the books):\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nHope that the above resources help
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Do you have a business plan? I am not looking now, so don't ask, but I have taken profit sharing plans in the past. One thing I always required was a detailed business plan. After all, if I'm doing the work, I want to know that I will eventually get something out of it.
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You can find several free business plan examples at the following websites\n\nBplans.com - where a few are free and the rest are bundled in the software they are selling\nhttp://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n\nMOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html
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I suggest you buy the Palo Alto Business Plan software as it has about 500 business plan samples that you can modify  http://www.bplans.com/mk/bpp.cfm?affiliate=powerhomeb\n\nHere are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp\n- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp\n- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/\n- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html \n-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf\n- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid\n- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html\n\nSome recommended books are :\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nHope that the above resources help
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Palo Alto software has a sample business plan for the limousine service, but it is not included in the free samples they provide. It is only available when you buy their product:\n\nhttp://www.paloalto.com/ps/bp/samplebusinessplans/limousine_taxi_business_plan.cfm\n\nHere are some resources that can help you write your business plan:\n\n- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm\n- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html\n\nYou may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:\n\n- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm\n- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners\nhttp://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html\n- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp\n- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp\n- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/\n- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html \n-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html\n- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf\n- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid\n- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html\n-\nSome recommended books are :\n\n- Business Plans Kit for Dummies \n- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan \n- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide \n- Business Plans For Dummies® \n- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan \n\nTo give you more information on starting a limousine service, here are some resources:\n\nNational Limousine Association http://www.limo.org\nHow to Start and Operate a Limousine Service (Plastic Comb) \nby Randell Nyborg http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/187776714X/102-8688497-6893719?v=glance&n=283155 \nWheels of Gold: A Complete How-To Guide for Starting a Million Dollar Limousine Business -- by William J. Goerl  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0974580503/qid=1144619824/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-8688497-6893719?s=books&v=glance&n=283155\nHow to Start a Limousine Business -- by Don Hill http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805981055/qid=1144619824/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/102-8688497-6893719?s=books&v=glance&n=283155\n\nHope that the above resources help
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Here are some tips. For detailed information go to sba link below.  Good Luck!\n\nBefore you begin writing your business plan, consider four core questions: \nWhat service or product does your business provide and what needs does it fill? \nWho are the potential customers for your product or service and why will they purchase it from you? \nHow will you reach your potential customers? \nWhere will you get the financial resources to start your business?\nWriting the Plan  \nWhat goes in a business plan? The body can be divided into four distinct sections: \n1) Description of the business \n2) Marketing \n3) Finances \n4) Management \nAddenda should include an executive summary, supporting documents, and financial projections. \nAlthough there is no single formula for developing a business plan, some elements are common to all business plans. They are summarized in the following outline: \nElements of a Business Plan\n              1. Cover sheet \n2. Statement of purpose 3. Table of contents \n                I. The Business \n               A. Description of business \n               B. Marketing \n               C. Competition \n               D. Operating procedures \n               E. Personnel \n               F. Business insurance \n               II. Financial Data \n               A. Loan applications \n               B. Capital equipment and supply list \n               C. Balance sheet \n               D. Breakeven analysis \n               E. Pro-forma income projections (profit & loss statements) \n               Three-year summary \n               Detail by month, first year \n               Detail by quarters, second and third years \n               Assumptions upon which projections were based \n               F. Pro-forma cash flow \n          III. Supporting Documents \n               Tax returns of principals for last three years Personal financial               statement (all banks have these forms) \n               For franchised businesses, a copy of franchise contract and all                 supporting documents provided by the franchisor \n               Copy of proposed lease or purchase agreement for building space                \n               Copy of licenses and other legal documents \n               Copy of resumes of all principals \n               Copies of letters of intent from suppliers, etc.
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Larry,\n\nYou can hire someone or you can spend a much smaller amount of money and create one using one of the off the shelf Business Plan software packages.\n\nI write business plans for a living for the construction industry (Architects, General Contractors, Subcontractors, etc.) and I use one of the off the shelf software packages.  \n\nIt can be very time consuming but they are very intuitive.  \n\nMy main advice is not to look at a business plan as a "silver bullet".  WAY too many of my clients pay for a business plan and do nothing with it.  \n\nMy analogy is this.  It is not buying the "Bowflex" that gets you in shape...it is the continued use of the "Blowflex" that gets you in shape.\n\nBusiness plans are vital.  Once you create one...don't file it away.  WORK IT!\n\nGood luck,\n\nBobby
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Here are a few keys to better business plans:\n\n1. Use a business plan to set concrete goals, responsibilities, and deadlines to guide your business.\n\n2. A good business plan assigns tasks to people or departments and sets milestones and deadlines for tracking implementation.\n\n3. A practical business plan includes 10 parts implementation for every one part strategy.\n\n4. As part of the implementation of a business plan, it should provide a forum for regular review and course corrections. \n\n5. Good business plans are practical.\n\nSome Business Plan "Don'ts" \n\n1. Don't use a business plan to show how much you know about your business.\n\n2. Nobody reads a long-winded business plan: not bankers, bosses, nor venture capitalists. Years ago, people were favorably impressed by long plans. Today, nobody is interested in a business plan more than 30 pages long.\n\nI would also suggest checking out http://www.bplans.com/ . There's a guide linked from the home page on writing a business plan as well as 60 free sample business plans.\n\nFinally, contact your local SCORE office for free advice. SCORE is funded by the SBA and is a great resource. You can find your local SCORE office here: http://www.score.org/\n\nYour local Small Business Development Center will also be able to help. You can find your local office here: http://www.bplans.com/sb/
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Check out ( http://www.salesandmarketinghelp.com ) they have a page on all the steps needed for a good marketing plan.
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Try this site:\nhttp://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
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Starting a small business takes a lot of courage. But, as they say, courage does not pay the bills. To be successful – to stay in business – you need more than courage. You need a combination of hard work, skill, perseverance, and lots of luck. \n\nSome things you need to consider:\n- "How can I support my family while I build up by business?" \n- "What are my abilities?" \n- "Is there a market for the product or service I have chosen?" \n- "How long will it take this business to reach the financial goal I have?" \n\nYou may want to read the article "How to Start a New Business Successfully" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol51/launch.htm , which lists six steps to launch a new business successfully:\n\n1. Provide a benefit.\n2. Determine the fit with your market.\n3. Right timing is everything\n4. Be ready to support your business\n5. Develop a blueprint for success\n6. Market, market, market\n\nTo give you ideas on what exactly do you need to start your own business, here are ten things you need to know before launching your own business  “10 Things You Need to Know When Starting Your Own Home Business” http://www.powerhomebiz.com/052006/startingbiz.htm .\n\nI recommend that you read the following books:\n\n- What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business : Real Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs \n- Starting From Scratch: How To Start A Business When You Don't Have Money \n- If You're Clueless About Starting Your Own Business and Want to Know More \n- On the Move : How to Succeed and Survive As an Entrepreneur \n- How to Make 1000 Mistakes in Business and Still Succeed \n\nOne of the first things you need to consider is to think whether you want to start your own tax preparation service or whether you want to franchise a branded tax preparation service such as Jackson Hewitt. Here is a list of tax preparation services that you can franchise http://www.entrepreneur.com/franzone/cats/0,6587,12-12-0-FINTAX,00.html For discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of starting your own busines vs. franchising, you may want to read this article http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol18/ownership.htm\n\nFor more information on the tax preparation business you may want to read\n\nBookkeeping & Tax Preparation: Start & Build a Prosperous Bookkeeping, Tax, & Financial Services Business (Paperback) \nby Gordon P. Lewis http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0963937170/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid\n\nOther articles on starting a tax preparation business you may want to look into\n\nHow to Start Your Own Tax Preparation Home Business  http://www.myboot.com/articles/2713-how-to-start-your-own-tax-preparation-home-business.html