Business Plans

I just found a free E-book at:
http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusin...aspx?pid=3ba9ce46-f75f-11db-8314-0800200c9a62
This is from Microsoft and Bank of America.

 

I have to say this is a good thread. A lot of good ideas here.

However, business plans aren't just for sending off to the bank for financing. When I start looking into a possible business I come up with a business plan of what I want to do. It can be rather simple, what your going to do, how you plan to make money, expenses etc.... It allows you to make that next step, or not.

I had a roommate not too long ago that wanted to open up his own computer repair business. He was unemployed and I kept asking him when he was going to start his biz. His reply was allways, "when I save up enough money.". He had no plan, so he had no idea how much money he needed to even start.

I know I certainly wouldn't just jump into a business without a plan, whether or not the bank flunkies see it.

Kevo

 

You already have a business plan.

Think about it, it doesn't matter if your opening a lemon aid stand or buying a truck... you already have a plan; you just haven't put it on paper in a proper format.

Sit down in front of a piece of paper with a pencil and start putting your thoughts on paper. You have conceptually decided on material sources, capital equipment acquisitions, potential revenue, market availability, etc...

You just thought in your head "ok I'm gonna go down to the piggly wiggly a'n buy about 5 bags of lemmons, a pound of sugar, a couple packages of plastic cups. Already got a couple jugs, measuring cup, and a table to put on the lawn... & even a manual juicer. That juice machine on tv looks like it will do a better job... plus I'm lazy." You see where it's going.

You already have a business plan, your just resistant to putting it on paper.

 

Just because you have one doesn't mean it's well thought-out, effective, or even good for that matter. It takes just a fuzz more than a pencil and a piece of paper. To quote Dennis Miller --- "That's just my opinion, I could be wrong."

 

I was just using the KISS method... to try to entice anyone reading that they didn't "need a plan" into the reality that they already had the beginnings in their head.

I'm not a business major, don't hold a sigma 7 black belt, & don't think I'm competent to tell someone "now that there is a good business plan". But I figured I might lead a few mules to water & perhaps at least one might take a sip or two.

Again, your absolutely right.

 

Perhaps I was a little too direct, too quickly? You don't need to be Sig 7 or a business major to write a great plan. You valid points, that I didn't reference, mostly because I assumed them to be implied. The idea that you have one in your head already? Certainly so. It's a good jumping off point with the pencil and paper to start the first draft....... again, I assumed these to be implied, but par usual we all know what assumption is...... my apologies. It wasn't about right or wrong, and I wasn't trying to sound condescending. Write, review, edit.... review, edit, repeat as necessary.

The original question of this thread was something to the effect of "does anyone know where to find a "great" business plan?" My intented point was that a "great" business plan takes a whole lot of time and effort to be great.

 

I agree & that plan has to start somewhere... It's never going to get anywhere if that first step isn't taken.

Oh and if somebodies thinking about just copying another plan and changing the names, dates, & places... At least read the durn thing and understand it

 

All good ideas and plans start out as just rattling around in the old noggin. If you need to take it further, then you have some work to do.

Using the books, web sources, etc are good places to get ideas for writing one, but each one is going to change based on the individual writing it. I'll bet that Microsoft even has some templates for business plans. I have looked there yet, but will be in a few months, as I will be writing one soon. Just replacing the names, etc isn't going to provide you with a very good plan either. Like Rooster said, read the durn thing, and make appropriate changes. You are trying to sell yourself, your business, and your knowledge.

If you are planning on writing a serious one for financing, it's also a good idea to get input and get it reviewed by a couple of people familiar with them. An accountant is a good source of help for that. If you're on good terms with someone at your bank, that is another good source of input on your serious business plan. Don't just rely on the book or template.

 

I started with the BP offered by BroncRider. It gave me a solid basis to start with but it has been re-written AT LEAST 15 times to suit my personal needs. Without it I would have been lost so point is if you haven;t written one before the use of a good template will save you more headaches than you may realize.