Business Plan

Writing a Business Plan - One Step at a Time

Turn your business into a business plan

Most lenders will want to see a complete and accurate business plan. More importantly, a business plan will provide you with a map of where you are hoping to go and what you will need to do in order to get there. If there are going to be surprises, you want to know about them now, before you start your business.

These booklets are intended to provide you with a step method of collecting the information you need for your business plan. As you make your way through the working papers, we will explain how to complete each section, the information you need, and where to find it. We provide you with an example, "John's Auto Repair" and, at the end of each booklet, a page defining business terms.

While collecting information for your business plan, it is important that you do not take short cupts and that you complete every section. It is far easier, and less expensive, to fix mistakes "on paper" than after you are in business. If you find extra information that you feel is important, simply attach additional pages.

When predicting the future of your business, be as realistic as possible. Project that the money coming in will not be quite as good as you hope and that the money going out will be higher that you expect. This is often exactly what happens. If you can live with these results, you might have a successful business plan. Remember, the last person in the world you want to fool is yourself!

Download the following booklets as PDF documents

• Introduction
  1. The Personal Financial Statement
  2. Sales & Cost of Goods
  3. Start-Up Assets & Investment
  4. Start-Up & Monthly Expenses
  5. Market Research
  6. Financial Summary
  7. Three Year Financial Statements
  8. Summary and Introduction
  9. Advertising & Promotion Plan
  10. Operations
  11. Staff and Management
  12. Sample Business Plan
  13. Loan Application Form

A Joint Project Developed by:

National Literacy Secretariat, Human Resources Development Canada, Newsask Community Futures Development Corporation, Visions North Community Futures Development Corporation, Beaver River Community Futures Development Corporation, South Central Community Futures Development Corporation, Cumberland Regional College

Acknowledgements:

Written by Elaine Roden, Lynda McPhee/Phillips - Literacy Editor, Grant Wilson - Project Preparation, Rod Roden - Editor & Contributor.

Copyright 1997 Newsask Community Futures Development Corporation IBSN 0-9682167-2-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from Newsask Community Futures Development Corporation