BizBuilder Business Plan
Use these worksheets and questions to create a complete business plan. Follow the guidelines in Chapter 4 to ensure the quality of the business plan.
The tables and questions are designed to help you organize your plan and are not necessary to include as tables in the final plan.
By using the worksheets and questions your plan will be a better roadmap for running your organization and will make it more attractive to investors.
Contents
Cover Page
Confidentiality
Table of Contents
Business Idea
Economics of One Unit
Ownership
Mission, Vision, and Culture
Company Description
Research
Target Customers
Industry Analysis
SWOT Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Promotion Strategy
Customer Service
Place of Business
Management Team
Employees & Policies
Corporate Governance
Advisors
Research & Development
Intellectual Property
Facilities
Inventory,Production,Quality Assurance
International Opportunities
Segmentation
Products/Services
Philanthropy
Pricing
Insurance & Risk Management
Record Keeping
Sources & Uses of Capital
Start-Up Costs
Financing
Cash Flow Projections and Fixed Costs
Balance Sheet Projections
Income Statement Projections
Breakeven Analysis
Ratio Analysis
Risks & Assumptions
Funding Request and Exit Strategy
Milestones
Appendices
Non-Profit Organizations
BizBuilder Business Plan Worksheet Questions/Notes
Cover Page
This should provide the name of your business, your contact information and a nondisclosure statement.
What is the full legal name of your organization?
Provide contact information for the organization including the names of majority owners (use the same format for as many as you have)
What confidentiality/non-disclosure language will you include?
Provide the date of the plan. (Month) (Day), (Year)
Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality Agreement
The undersigned (“Recipient”) hereby agrees that all financial and other information (“Information”) that it has and will receive concerning ABC Company, Inc. is confidential and will not be disclosed to any individual or entity without prior written consent.
The Information shall remain the property of ABC Company, Inc. and shall be returned to ABC Company, Inc. promptly at its request together with all copies made thereof.
Recipient acknowledges that no remedy of law may be adequate to compensate ABC Company, Inc. for a violation of this Agreement and Recipient hereby agrees that in addition to any legal or other rights that may be available in the event of a breach hereunder, ABC Company, Inc. may seek equitable relief to enforce this Agreement in any Court of competent jurisdiction.
This is a business plan and does not imply an offering of securities.
Table of Contents (can be placed before or after the Executive Summary)
List the key sections of the plan and the page numbers.
1.0 Executive Summary #
2.0 Mission, Vision, & Culture #
3.0 Company Description #
4.0 Opportunity Analysis & Research #
4.1 Industry Analysis #
4.2 Environmental Analysis #
4.3 Competitive Analysis
5.0 Marketing Strategy & Plan
5.1 Products/Services
5.2 Pricing
5.3 Promotion
5.4 Place
6.0 Management & Operations
6.1 Management Team
6.2 Research & Development
6.3 Physical Location
6.4 Facilities
6.5 Inventory, Production, & Quality Assurance
7.0 Financial Analysis & Projections
7.1 Sources & Uses of Capital
7.2 Cash Flow Projections
7.3 Balance Sheet Projections
7.4 Income Statement Projections
7.5 Breakeven Analysis
7.6 Ratio Analysis
7.7 Risks & Assumptions
8.0 Funding Request & Exit Strategy
8.1 Amount & Type of Funds Requested
8.2 Exit Plan
8.3 Milestones
Appendices
Resumes
Sample Promotional Materials
Product Illustrations/Diagrams
Detailed Financial Projections
Executive Summary
The Executive Summary is your primary selling section of the business plan. It should be clear, concise and compelling. Within 1 to 2 pages, the reader should be interested, engaged and well-informed about your business model, your requirements, and expectations.
What is the full legal name of your organization?
Describe your business idea using Table 1.1 to guide the coverage of pertinent topics.
Select them according to whether you are planning a start-up, purchasing an existing business, securing a franchise, or licensing technology. If you are expanding a firm, you can follow the guidelines which fit best.
Table 1.1 Executive Summary Description Guide
Components of the Business Start-Up Buy Existing Secure a Franchise License Technology
Customers None Established None – but may have name recognition None
Products or Services None Established Developed In process
Location Needed In place Assistance possible Needed
Management Control Owner Owner Owner within terms of license Owner within terms of license
Operational Control Owner Owner Owner within terms of license Owner
Marketing Needed In place (+/-) Assistance possible. Rules absolutely. Needed
Reputation None In place (+/-) Should be. If not, why license? Possible
Royalties/Fees Not usual Maybe Ongoing Likely
Financing Needed Prior owner may provide Assistance possible Needed
Disclosures None Buyer beware UFOC & contracts Agreement
Business Idea:
Target Market (Answer who, what, when, where, and why.)
Table 1.2 Target Market Description
Factor of Target Market Description
(who)
(what)
(when)
(where)
(why)
What type of organization are you starting? (Manufacturing, Wholesale, Retail? For-profit or not-for-profit?)
What products and/or services will you offer?
Table 1.3 Product/Service Offerings
Description
Product/Service 1
Product/Service 2
Product/Service 3
Product/Service 4
What is your marketing and sales strategy? Explain how your business idea will satisfy a customer need.
Table 1.4 Marketing & Sales Strategy
Customer Need How Your Business Will Satisfy It
Describe the key success factors for the organization.
Table 1.5 Key Success Factors
Success Factor How It Works within Your Organization
Calculate the “economics of one unit” for your organization.
Table 1.6 Economics of One Unit
One Unit =
Selling Price per Unit $
– COGS per Unit
– Other Variable Costs
TOTAL Variable Costs per Unit $
Contribution Margin per Unit $
What are your short-term business goals? (less than one year) Long-term business goals? (from one to five years)
Table 1.7 Business Goals
Short-Term Goal Measure of Success
Long-Term Goal Measure of Success
What resources and skills do you (and the other owners and managers) have that will help make your organization successful?
What other skills are needed and how will they be obtained?
These would include operations, finance, accounting, sales, management, and the like.
Table 1.8 Skill and Resource Inventory
Resource or Skill Who Has the Skill/Resource? If Needed, How Will It Be Obtained?
If there is more than one owner, describe how the ownership will be shared.
Table 1.9 Ownership
Owner Percent of Ownership
What are the sources and uses of funds?
Table 1.10 Sources and Uses of Funds
Sources of Funds Amount Received Uses of Funds Amount Spent
Include a summary of the financial projections.
Table 1.11 Summary Financial Projections
Topic Key Measure Growth or Growth Rate Time Frame
Revenue Sales Growth
Profitability Return on Investment or Return on Sales
Industry Position Market Share
Value Net Worth
What is the growth and exit strategy? (For example, self-generated growth, growth through merger or acquisition, franchising, sale of the company, IPO)
2.0 Mission, Vision, & Culture
Write a mission statement for your organization in 21 words or fewer that clearly states your competitive advantage, strategy, and tactics.
Create a vision statement for your organization.
Describe the core beliefs you will use to run your organization and how they will be reflected in its culture.
Table 2.1 Core Beliefs and Culture
Core Belief How It Is Reflected in the Culture
Identify the ways you plan to run a socially responsible organization.
3.0 Company Description
What industry (or industries) are you in? (Identify each industry, find its NAICS Code and list the products/services that you will offer which fit the category.)
Remember you can go to the U.S. Census Web site to identify your industry code and obtain some data (http://www.census.gov).
Table 3.1 Industry
Industry NAICS Code Products/Services
What type of organization is it (manufacturing, wholesale, service)?
What needs will this business satisfy? (Same as Table 1.4)
Table 3.2 Marketing & Sales Strategy
Customer Need How Your Business Will Satisfy It
What is your strategic advantage?
What is your organization’s legal structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, C Corp, etc.)?
Why did you choose this legal structure?
In what state are you registered or do you intend to register?
Where will you physically operate the organization?
What is the geographic reach of the organization?
Who will be the owner(s), partners, or stockholders for your company?
If your business is incorporated, describe what percentage of the company is owned by each shareholder. (same as Table 1.9)
Table 3.3 Ownership
Owner Percent of Ownership
4.0 Opportunity Analysis & Research
Describe your research methods (surveys, focus groups, general research, and statistical research). Select only those that apply.
Be specific about how you will select your respondents and sources. Remember to ensure the integrity of your data.
Table 4.1 Research Methods
Research Method When? Respondents/Description
Written Survey (mailed)
Written Survey (emailed)
Written Survey (online)
Telephone Survey
“Street” Survey
Focus Groups
Document Research – Review of Books and Records
Personal Interviews
Observation
Tracking (Media)
Benchmarking
Online Searches
Article and Book Searches
Trade Associations
Chambers of Commerce
Public Agencies
Competitor Websites
Describe your target customer along as many dimensions as you have defined (i.e., demographic, geographic, needs, trends, decision-making process).
Table 4.2 Target Customer
Dimension Target
Demographic
Geographic
Needs
Trends
Lifestyles
Psychographics
4.1 Industry Analysis
What is the industry or set of industries in which your organization operates (include the NAICS codes)?
Remember you can go to the U.S. Census Web site to identify your industry code and obtain some data (http://www.census.gov). Same as Table 3.1.
Table 4.3 Industry
Industry NAICS Code Products/Services
What factors influence the demand for your product or service?
Table 4.4 Demand Influences
Demand Factor How Does it Influence Demand?
What factors influence the supply for your product or service?
Table 4.5 Supply Influences
Supply Factor What Is the Influence?
How large is your industry (historic, current, projected size)?
Table 4. 6 Industry Size
Time Frame Dates Included Size ($ or units) Data Source
Historic size
Current size
Projected size
What are the current and anticipated characteristics and trends in the industry?
What are the major customer groups for the industry (consumers, governments, businesses)?
How large is your target market (number of customers, size of purchases, frequency of purchases, trends)?
Table 4.7 Target Market Size
Measures of Market Size Size Source of Data
Number of customers
Size of purchases
Frequency of purchases
Trends
4.2 Environmental Analysis
Perform a SWOT analysis of your organization. Remember that strengths and weaknesses are internal for an organization and that opportunities and threats arise from the external environment.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Are there customers for your business in other countries? How do you plan to reach them?
