Guidance and Knowledge for Value Investors
Elements of a business plan are comprised of the ‘Who’, ‘What’, ‘When’, ‘Where’, and ‘How’ for a small business. It is appropriate to draft one in certain situations. Learn what circumstances warrant a plan and how to draft a short and concise document.
Timing is everything, you have heard this before. Well, it is applicable here. I once had a potential client come to me in the middle of June seeking my endorsement to his business plan. He needed to borrow money for his idea. He wanted to sell fireworks. July 4th was less three weeks away. I looked at him as if he were crazy.
There is a process to determine the where of your plan. Sometimes it is obvious, if retail, then a retail location is ideal. If service and the customer travels to you such as a professional, then an appropriate office location is important. Focus on the type of office environment, medical should try to locate in or around other medical facilities.
If you read my section on ‘Do I Need a Business Plan’ and followed those steps, you are now ready for the next step in this process. Hopefully two important barriers have been breached in your quest to be the next new business. First, you have answered the most important questions of who am I and is this what I truly want to do.
Whenever someone wants to start a business, they ask their friends and professionals what they should do. The standard answer is always, ‘You need a business plan’. Really, do you? If I do, what is it and how do I proceed?