BusinessplanforanewbusinessThebusinessplanconsistsofanarrativeandseveralfinancialworksheets.Thenarrativetemplateisthekeytothebusinessplan.Itcontainsmorethan150questionsdividedintoseveralsections.Omitanyquestionsthatdonotapplytoyourtypeofbusiness.Whenyouhavefinishedwritingyourfirstdraft,youwillhaveacollectionofsmallessaysonthevariousaspectsofthebusinessplan.Thenextstageistoeditthemintoasmooth-flowingnarrative.Therealvalueofcreatingabusinessplanisnotinhavingthefinishedplaninyourhand;rather,thevalueliesintheprocessofresearchingandthinkingaboutyourbusinessinasystematicway.Theactofplanninghelpsyoutothinkthingsthroughthoroughly,studyandresearchifyouarenotsureofthefacts,andlookatyourideascritically.Ittakestimenow,butwillhelpavoidcostly,perhapsdisastrous,mistakeslater.Thisbusinessplanisaspecificmodelsuitableforhigh-techbusinesses.Beforeyoubegin,lookatthe1stsectionTailoringtheplan.Ithastipsforfine-tuningyourplantomakeaneffectivepresentationtoinvestors.Ifthisiswhyyou’recreatingyourplan,payparticularattentiontoyourwritingstyle.Youwillbejudgedbythequalityandappearanceofyourworkaswellasbyyourideas.Ittypicallytakesseveralweekstocompleteagoodplan.Mostofthattimeisspentinresearchingandrevisingyourideasandassumptions.Butthisisthevalueoftheprocess.Somaketimetodothejobproperly.Thosewhodosoneverregrettheeffort.Andfinally,besuretokeepdetailednotesonyoursourcesofinformationandontheassumptionsunderlyingyourfinancialdata.TailoringtheplanThegenericbusinessplanpresentedshouldbemodifiedtosuityourspecifictypeofbusinessandtheaudienceforwhichtheplaniswritten.ForraisingcapitalForinvestorsInvestorshaveadifferentperspective.Theyarelookingfordramaticgrowth,andtheyexpecttoshareintherewards:oFundsneededshort-termoFundsneededintwotofiveyears’timeoHowthecompanywillusethefunds,andwhatthiswillaccomplishforgrowthoEstimatedreturnoninvestmentoExitstrategyforinvestors(buyback,saleorIPO)oProportionofownershipthatyouwillgiveuptoinvestorsoMilestonesorconditionsthatyouwillacceptoFinancialreportingtobeprovidedoInvolvementofinvestorsontheboardorinmanagementFortypeofbusinessHigh-techcompaniesEconomicoutlookfortheindustryWillthecompanyhaveinformationsystemsinplacetomanagerapidlychangingprices,costsandmarkets?Willyoubeonthecuttingedgewithyourproductsandservices?Whatisthestatusofresearchanddevelopment?Andwhatisrequiredto:oBringproduct/servicetomarket?oKeepthecompanycompetitive?Howdoesthecompany:oProtectintellectualproperty?oAvoidtechnologicalobsolescence?oSupplynecessarycapital?oRetainkeypersonnel?High-techcompaniessometimeshavetooperateforalongtimewithoutprofitsandsometimesevenwithoutsales.Ifthisfitsyoursituation,abankerprobablywillnotwanttolendtoyou.Venturecapitalistsmayinvest,butyourcasemustbeverygood.Youmustdolonger-termfinancialforecaststoshowwhenprofittake-offisexpectedtooccur.Andyourassumptionsmustbewelldocumentedandwellargued.BusinessplanOWNERSYourBusinessNameDateE-MailWebpageTableofcontents1.Executivesummary..................................................2.IntroductiontotheCompanyanditsManagement.....................2.1CompanyOverview.................................................2.2OrganisationalStructure.........................................2.3TheManagementTeam..............................................2.4AdvisoryBoard...................................................2.5ProposedManagementCompensation...
