Business Plan Guide – 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Business Plan
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1. Don’t Put it Off.
Yes, writing a business plan can be a monumental chore. It’s easy to procrastinate while you focus on the more exciting processes of your business. Many new business owners will wait until the day before their scheduled meeting with the bank — and then frantically try to write a plan overnight. You can imagine the results.
Don’t wait until you have more time. There will never be more time. You need to clear your calendar for a week and make your business plan a top priority. Or if that isn’t feasible, schedule a certain period of time each day to work specifically on planning. No doubt you have heard the old saying: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”.
2. Don’t Confuse Profit With Cash Flow.
Unless you have an accounting background, you are very likely to define the success of your business in terms of profits. A simple definition of Profit would be Sales minus Expenses equals Profit. But in the business world, profits do not equate to cash. Your profit formula does not take into account the amount of cash you have tied up in production costs for products that have not yet sold, or the customers who still owe you money for sales that have already been made. Your business can look quite “profitable” while your bank account is over-drawn.
Make sure your business plan includes a table that addresses cash flow. Ideally, you should detail the monthly cash flow for the first two years of the business and annually thereafter.
3. Don’t Fall in Love With Your Idea.
Too many business plans blabber on for pages about the “newness” and “uniqueness” of the idea. But the truth is, investors want to invest in people, not ideas. It is only the people who can execute the systems necessary to bring the idea to life.
Instead of waxing poetically about your business idea, focus your energy, and your reader’s eyes, on the ways you plan to implement this great business idea.
4. Don’t Succumb to Fear and Dread.
If you have never written a business plan, the process may loom like Mount Everest. But, like most new challenges, writing a business plan isn’t as hard as you have imagined it to be. You aren’t writing a doctoral thesis or the next great novel. If you have invested in a business plan guide, use it. You can easily find helpful resources such as books, software programs and templates. Remember, you eat an elephant one bite at a time, so start chewing.
5. Don’t Over Sell.
Skip the vague and meaningless business phrases such as “best ever”, “highest quality” and “unsurpassed customer service”. You will lose your reader’s interest and respect if you engage in hyperbole that isn’t supported by measurable facts. Remember that the objective of a plan is its results, which require tracking and follow up. Focus your goals on specific dates, management responsibilities, budgets, and measurable milestones. Think fewer words and more numbers.
6. Don’t Engage in One-Size-Fits-All
Business plans can have many different purposes and they should be written to reflect the specific purpose at hand. You may be using your plan to start a business, or just run a business better. Your purpose may be simply to sell an idea for a new business to one particular business partner. Your plan may be intended to secure a small business loan, or it may be needed to secure millions of dollars of venture capital. Each of these purposes would require different information, presented in different ways to meet the needs of different readers. Keep a picture of your intended reader firmly in your mind and your business plan will stay focused as well.
7. Take Off the Rose Colored Glasses
Optimism is a wonderful resource. Without it, a business owner would find it difficult to summon the energy necessary to launch a new venture. However, this is not the time to engage in unbridled projections. If your company’s growth chart is based on an “industry average” of 15% annual growth, you should certainly be prepared to prove that assumption. When in doubt, be less optimistic.
By using a good business plan guide, and avoiding these common mistakes, you can prepare a plan that almost guarantees your business success. Good luck!
By: Barb Dearing
About the Author:
Barb Dearing is a writer specializing in topics that relate to new business owners. She recommends a free 9-Step Business Plan Guide that can be found at: http://www.business-plan-guide.com
Credit Card Services and Business Loans for the Small Business
Of crucial use to small businesses are credit card services and small business loans. The entrepreneur needs to know how to avail of these tools and how to effectively wield them for maximum business growth.
Credit Card Services
A small business would do well to get reputable credit card services in order to prosper in the current business climate. Availing of credit card services will enable it to accept both credit card and debit card payments. This is true either for brick-and-mortar businesses or internet based online businesses. After all, most consumers nowadays routinely use credit cards or debit cards for payment purposes. It only makes good business sense to be well-equipped for the needs of credit card users and debit card users as well as for the needs of customers who pay in cash.
Merchant services provide credit card services covering a wide range of solutions for the processing of credit cards and debit cards as payment options. These credit card services include traditional terminal equipment at point of sale, where credit cards or debit cards are swiped. It also includes software and high speed IP solutions for both traditional commerce and e-commerce. Credit card and debit card payments can, therefore, be accepted in person or through the internet, by phone or by fax.   Â
Small Business Loans
Any business – whether a small start-up business, a medium-scaled one or a big business company – will be needing an infusion of additional capital sooner or later. Additional capital is always needed for expansion, additional inventory, additional manpower, new systems, new equipment or a new physical layout.
Capital is not always easy to come by, though. The original investors’ personal coffers may have been emptied by the earlier outlays. Prospective investors may not be keen on shelling out funds in times of crisis. Businesses, therefore, have no choice but to seek business loans.
Getting business loans is a difficult process. Even small business loans are not readily approved. Be prepared to present a lot of documentation and paperwork. For small business loans, the proprietor’s personal credit history is taken into account and related references need to be submitted. Of course, the company’s financial statements are just as important in proving the feasibility of the business and its capacity to repay its business loans. Having a detailed business plan will show your business strategies and projections, demonstrating your business acumen.
Unfortunately, even with all the requirements completed, applications for business loans – including small business loans – are, more often than not, disapproved.
Solutions
Some merchant services provide a comprehensive solution for the needs of small businesses in relation to credit card services and small business loans. The set up is elegantly simple. A small business need only avail of the company’s credit card services to be eligible for merchant cash advances. These cash advances are actually small business loans, except that there is no need to go through the complicated application process for business loans. Repayment is made very easy and worry-free, too. A certain small percentage is built into the credit card processing rates to take care of the advances. This way, repayment is actually done automatically in a very affordable manner and according to income flow.
Small business owners would, indeed, be wise to look into these timely business solutions.
By: Business Local Listings
About the Author:
Advanced Merchant Services
Contact Name: Roger Inman
P.O. Box 1475 Safety Harbor, FL 34691
Bus: 7276423606
Bus Fax: 8774136067
E-mail: rinman3@tampabay.rr.com
Website: www.bankcardprocess.com
6 Reasons to Buy a Canadian Business for Sale
Customers. When you buy an existing Canadian business for sale there are typically existing customers already in place. Many times start-up ventures fail for the simple reason that after the initial investment and work to get the business started that customers don’t arrive for quite some time (or not at all). Having an existing customer base with an existing business is a major reason to buy an established Canadian business for sale.
Company reputation. When you start a company from the ground floor there is no existing reputation. As a business owner in this scenario, you must work on building up your business’s reputation. With an existing small business, there is usually an established business relationship existing in the marketplace. Be careful to only buy a business for sale that has a good reputation!
Trained employees. An established company will usually have staff in place that know their jobs and are fully trained. Use caution and diligence when you buy a business to be reasonably sure that the staff will remain in place after the sale. Mitigate any risks you think might be a factor.
Vendors are in place. Having good vendor relationships are crucial to the success of many small businesses.  When you consider buying an existing business for sale you may find that these critical relationships are already setup and the work to set these up has been done. Confirm this during the due diligence process.
Operating systems are established. Starting up a new venture requires some trial and error with respect to the operations and usually involves some work in getting the ‘bugs’ out. When you buy an established Canadian business for sale then there is a strong chance that most or all of the operational ‘bugs’ are already worked out of the system.
Well known existing location. Buying a small business that has been in operation for many years out of the same location has significant benefits. Example – buying retail clothing score in a well-known Toronto or Hamilton, Ontario location that is recognized as a ‘destination’ spot to buy clothes has significant value to a business buyer.Â
Cashflow. Buying a business with existing sales volume means cashflow on day one of owning the business. Cashflow is the key to any business success so this is certainly a key benefit to buying an established company.
When you buy a Canadian business for sale it is important to recognize the clear benefits that come from acquiring an existing operation. Please use caution and do a thorough due diligence before you sign on the dotted line. Working with business brokers is a wise decision and you should always consult with a lawyer and accountant before you buy a small business.
By: Anne Brown
About the Author:
Business for Sale in Toronto, Hamilton and surrounding areas in southern Ontario, Canada. We are a full service business brokerage here to help you buy or sell a business.
Is Selling Your Business the Best “Exit Plan”?
So why do these business owners sell? The short answer is that most closely held businesses sell for human reasons, such as burn out, retirement, illness, partnership disputes, family issues or other personal reasons. Usually the business is fine but the human being running the business needs a change. To understand this better it is key to understand the other options for exiting a business.
Close the Business/Liquidation
Closing a business that is profitable never makes sense. Even if the assets are liquidated the price is likely to be pennies on the dollar versus selling the business as a going concern with employees, customers and a reputation that is intact. Not only does the business owner get the lowest value but the employees, vendors and customers are hurt by this type of exit.
Accident, Illness or Death
No one wants to exit their business this way, but many do. The loss of an owner not only creates tremendous issues for the family but also creates a leadership void in the business. Even the most competent management can struggle when a key business leader is lost to a serious accident, illness or death. No one plans for this type of exit but many end up exiting the business this way because they failed to create an alternate plan.
Succession
Succession by a family member or key employee has its benefits. They know the business, its product or service, employees, customers and vendors. Succession can be operationally successful for the exiting owner if they make sure the successor is carefully selected, qualified and groomed for the position. The owner must be careful not to make an emotional choice of a relative or favorite employee but instead choose the successor with the right skills to lead the company into the future. You are not seeking an “Employee” mentality but an “Owner” mentality. If that rare person can be found in the business who can make the transition to Owner, they often do not have the cash needed to purchase the business. They are also likely to want to pay less for the business as familiarity will blind them to many of the value drivers of the company. So although succession can be operationally successful it is rarely a financial success for the outgoing owner.
Sell
Closing or liquidating the business minimizes the value to the owner. Accident, illness or death forces the issue on the owner. Succession provided a very limited pool of options with limited financial reward.
Selling on the other hand allows the business owner to decide their ideal timing, maximize the value of the business they worked so hard to build, coordinate the use of the sale proceeds for financial planning and align their personal goals with the sale of a business. Selling the business allows the business owner to create a wealth event and often significant on-going passive income without having to run their business.
Whatever they are, human reasons are always pushing and pulling on a business owner. Burn out, stress, divorce, illness, partner disputes and limited growth capital are some of the human reasons that push owners out of the business. Retirement, enjoying life, relocating, a new business opportunity and passive income are some of the reasons that pull a business owner out. Whatever the motivation, the fundamental reason a business owner chooses a sale as their ideal exit plan is control. The business owner chooses to understand the value of their business and to proactively pursue the right buyer and the right price. By selling a business you choose to exit your business by choice, not by force.
The professional team at Sunbelt Midwest can help you confidentially sell or buy a business in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and surrounding areas. For more information check out our site at http://www.sunbeltmidwest.com.
By: Sunbelt Business Brokers
About the Author:
The professional team at Sunbelt Midwest can help you confidentially sell or buy a business in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and surrounding areas. For more information check out our site at http://www.sunbeltmidwest.com
Black Business – The Black Owned Business
The black entrepreneurs gather a lot of knowledge about the market through dedicated research in order to make their black business a success. It is in the hands of the black entrepreneurs to jump start their black business and gain popularity. A lot of dedicated research needs to be done before actually starting the black business. The black entrepreneurs have to be clear about the business basics and they have to confident of themselves.
One can find many black people in their business. They call it black business. The business owned by blacks is generally referred to as a black business. Blacks in business is a common sight across the world as the black have started gaining interest in doing their own businesses and thus becoming successful entrepreneurs.
The black entrepreneurs are very friendly and have a good knowledge of the market. They are dedicated towards their work and keep a regular check of their customers. Customer satisfaction is their main priority so they keep a regular contact with their customers and take feedbacks from them to know about their quality of work.
People across the town love to invest in the business and they enjoy their work with their friends. The black people are confident of the black business owned by black people. They have full faith on the people who are running the business. Initially there is risk in starting a new business but the black people are determined and strong-willed that they work hard and gain popularity by setting up their black business.
The black people who own the black business are very determined and conscious about their businesses. They have the strong will of putting their 100 percent effort in the business so that it nourishes well and thrives against all shortcomings. This way they grow their black business and gain popularity.
Experience matters a lot in the field of setting up your own business. Setting up the black business is the first initial task of the black people. They must choose the right location where they want to put up their organization. They must have adequate man-power to support their business. The working conditions and the infrastructure should be good and healthy so that the employees working at the company feel good about the company.
The black entrepreneurs work with complete dedication to take their black business to greater heights and gain popularity in the region thus making their family, friends as well as their employees proud of themselves and the black business they are associated with.
By: Ankur
About the Author:
Black Business – The Black Owned Business.
Click Black Business – The Black Owned Business to know more about it.
Ankur Sharma is an Executive with Wensil i Technologies.
















