Way back in business school we had to churn out business plans every semester. As soon as the assignment would drop we would be scrambling for information. Start the number crunching game, do the analysis, do some mental planning and write business plans.
Then we graduated and got jobs. But, we still have to write business plans.
I came across a collection called Business Plans from 'Business-planning-4-you' (http://business.marc8.com/ebook-info.php/name/business_plans/toc_id/1-0-1-5) a few weeks ago. The title caught my eye as I wondered who would be giving away business plans and how many? How would they manage the number of industries? I wanted to find out more.
- It seems that they have over 1500 readymade business plans in their database.
- Covers a wide range of industries: from Abattoir Business Plan to Zen Practitioner Business Plan.
- The cost is $50 as of this writing. That makes it 3 cents per business plan (50/1500 = 0.03).
- They offer about 24 extra bonuses
I know I would be happy with the business plan templates that I could modify and add my own thoughts. I think it would be like instant soup. You have bought the basic ingredient, but you still need to provide a little bit more like hot water and a bowl.
Though I haven't tried the collection myself it looks quite good. I think this would be useful if you are in business school, early part of your career, or even a seasoned business man venturing into new areas.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Business Planning for College Students and First-Time Entrepreneurs
More and more students, both in undergraduate and graduate institutions, are deciding to launch their own ventures upon graduation rather than taking the traditional route of working for another firm. Likewise, more and more individuals are leaving their jobs to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams.
While these ventures may ultimately be very successful (e.g., Google and Microsoft were both launched by students), they face certain challenges in their business plans and capital raising processes. The foremost challenge is overcoming the lack of experience of the management team. A classis chicken-and-egg problem presents itself – the management team has no past company successes to point to, and can’t prove itself unless given the opportunity to launch the business. While this problem is nearly always the case for graduating students, it also presents itself to many entrepreneurs, particularly those who are launching their first ventures.
To overcome this challenge, these ventures must represent themselves as having a great team by attracting a stellar management team and/or advisors. By attracting a quality management team, even if the team will not start until after financing, it gives investors that confidence that the plan will be properly executed. It also proves that the entrepreneurs have the ability to “sell” others on their vision. The management team need not be complete before seeking capital, since additional members will most likely be added after capital is raised. For instance, shortly after Google raised capital from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Omid Kordestani left Netscape to accept a position as vice president of business development and sales, and Urs Hölzle was hired away from UC Santa Barbara as vice president of engineering.
While these ventures may ultimately be very successful (e.g., Google and Microsoft were both launched by students), they face certain challenges in their business plans and capital raising processes. The foremost challenge is overcoming the lack of experience of the management team. A classis chicken-and-egg problem presents itself – the management team has no past company successes to point to, and can’t prove itself unless given the opportunity to launch the business. While this problem is nearly always the case for graduating students, it also presents itself to many entrepreneurs, particularly those who are launching their first ventures.
To overcome this challenge, these ventures must represent themselves as having a great team by attracting a stellar management team and/or advisors. By attracting a quality management team, even if the team will not start until after financing, it gives investors that confidence that the plan will be properly executed. It also proves that the entrepreneurs have the ability to “sell” others on their vision. The management team need not be complete before seeking capital, since additional members will most likely be added after capital is raised. For instance, shortly after Google raised capital from Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Omid Kordestani left Netscape to accept a position as vice president of business development and sales, and Urs Hölzle was hired away from UC Santa Barbara as vice president of engineering.
Business Plan
A is a short brief that explains how a business owner, director or entrepreneur plans to orchestrate an enterprising effort that carries out the actions that are necessary in order for the effort to succeed. Basically, a business plan is the written description of a business’s business model. Those involved in the planning process and management are the most likely to use a business plan. Business plans are also used when approaching potential lenders or investors that have an interest in a particular business venture.
There is a great deal of subject matter that is addressed in a business plan including a number of sub-plans. There are a number of business plan models that can be used to create a new business plan from or there are software options like the Business Plan Pro 2004. If a business is not using a business plan software program, they will most likely follow what is considered to be a typical business plan format.
There is a great deal of subject matter that is addressed in a business plan including a number of sub-plans. There are a number of business plan models that can be used to create a new business plan from or there are software options like the Business Plan Pro 2004. If a business is not using a business plan software program, they will most likely follow what is considered to be a typical business plan format.
Business Laws: What you Need to Know
There are a myriad of things you must think about when opening any type of business whether it is a small business or a large corporation and one of those is how business law may affect you. Failure to pay attention to business and corporate law can land you in a world of trouble-both legal and financial. The good news is that you do not necessarily need to be a graduate of a fancy business law college or have a business law major to brush up on the basic ideas of small business law and corporate business law.
If you've paid attention to the headlines lately, you probably know that employment law for business is one of the number one areas where you can get into trouble if you aren't up on all the employment laws and regulations. There are numerous laws that govern the employment of both regular employees and contract employees. Just for a broad overview, take a look at all the employment business laws you must meet:
· Civil Rights Act of 1966.
· The Equal Pay Act of 1963
· Americans with Disabilities Act
· The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
· The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
· The Equal Employment Opportunity Act
· The Bankruptcy Act
· The Occupational Safety and Health Act
· FMLA, the Family Medical Leave Act
· Employee Polygraph Protection Act Labor Law
· FLSA, the Fair Labor Standards Act
And that's not even counting the various state employment business laws that might apply to your business! If you aren't sure of whether you are meeting all the regulations, it's a good idea to get a checkup for your HR department.
Do you happen to work in the international arena? If you have anything at all to do with international business, then you should be aware of the many ways in which international business law can affect you, your business and your bottom line. At a minimum, you need to make sure that you meet general international business laws, specialized export laws, import laws and any laws of the foreign country in which your business operates.
And what about the business law scene at home?
If you've paid attention to the headlines lately, you probably know that employment law for business is one of the number one areas where you can get into trouble if you aren't up on all the employment laws and regulations. There are numerous laws that govern the employment of both regular employees and contract employees. Just for a broad overview, take a look at all the employment business laws you must meet:
· Civil Rights Act of 1966.
· The Equal Pay Act of 1963
· Americans with Disabilities Act
· The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
· The Age Discrimination in Employment Act
· The Equal Employment Opportunity Act
· The Bankruptcy Act
· The Occupational Safety and Health Act
· FMLA, the Family Medical Leave Act
· Employee Polygraph Protection Act Labor Law
· FLSA, the Fair Labor Standards Act
And that's not even counting the various state employment business laws that might apply to your business! If you aren't sure of whether you are meeting all the regulations, it's a good idea to get a checkup for your HR department.
Do you happen to work in the international arena? If you have anything at all to do with international business, then you should be aware of the many ways in which international business law can affect you, your business and your bottom line. At a minimum, you need to make sure that you meet general international business laws, specialized export laws, import laws and any laws of the foreign country in which your business operates.
And what about the business law scene at home?
Bottleneck-oriented Business Management
In every enterprise there are, at every time, one or more bottlenecks, which have influence to the commercial situation. Bottleneck-oriented business management has the purpose to early track the bottlenecks and to remove them, to allow an optimum of commercial development. To know at any time, what a business lacks of and to be able to add the missing things, is today a determining competition advantage. Bottlenecks can be, e.g.:
low sales proceeds
high due or overdue accounts receivables
low liquidity (Cash on Hand, etc.)
high amount of liabilities
low number of customers
too many new customers
too high capacity utilization
defective administration or management
and a lot more.
These example show that bottlenecks not only concern negative circumstances, but also can apply to positive commercial development. If an enterprise takes up many new customers, this results in new orders, which lead to other circumstances, like a possible excess in capacity utilization. In case the excess of capacity utilization stays for a longer time, this may result in a lower employee motivation, because of a slump in working atmosphere within the company, which then could lead to less qualtiy of the work performed.
Due to a TIMELY reporting system many companies take care of reaching the desired commercial development. However, a regular analysis of expenses or the annual reports are not enough to control a business today.
low sales proceeds
high due or overdue accounts receivables
low liquidity (Cash on Hand, etc.)
high amount of liabilities
low number of customers
too many new customers
too high capacity utilization
defective administration or management
and a lot more.
These example show that bottlenecks not only concern negative circumstances, but also can apply to positive commercial development. If an enterprise takes up many new customers, this results in new orders, which lead to other circumstances, like a possible excess in capacity utilization. In case the excess of capacity utilization stays for a longer time, this may result in a lower employee motivation, because of a slump in working atmosphere within the company, which then could lead to less qualtiy of the work performed.
Due to a TIMELY reporting system many companies take care of reaching the desired commercial development. However, a regular analysis of expenses or the annual reports are not enough to control a business today.
Beware Of Bad Credit Payday Loans
WHY USE A PAY DAY LOAN?
Some individuals reason that paying a bill with borrowed money
is better than receiving bad credit marks because of not paying
the bill. This is understandable. However, some financial
institutions are willing to make the occasional exception if
contacted about the situation. Or there may be a small fee, but
not a credit report made.
Using it for groceries or other items? Consider the true cost
before making a decision. Compare the cost of using a pay day
(or cash advance) loan to the fees charged for taking a cash
advance on your own credit card. Can family help? Often those
who are forced to use pay day loans are not able to repay the
loan by the next pay check and that can lead to a cycle of debt
and stress.
WHAT IS THE COST?
Several sources, including a consumer report by the FTC (Federal
Trade Commission) and the CFA (Consumer Federation of America)
state that usual the usual APR is between 350 - 650% with some
as high as 780%.
A loan of $100 ranges in cost between $15 - $30. If the loan is
not repaid by the pay date then it can be renewed with another
fee due at each renewal. A loan of $100 can cost $60 in fees
after 3 renewals.
WHO BENEFITS?
Based on the warnings issued by federal and consumer
organizations it is clear that using pay day loans or cash
advances from these businesses can often lead to more debt and
problems. Some sites were reported to automatically roll over
the loan and only withdraw the renewal fee on the pay date.
Other sites surveyed by the CFA required customers to agree in
contract to not participate in class action suits or to file for
bankruptcy.
Some individuals reason that paying a bill with borrowed money
is better than receiving bad credit marks because of not paying
the bill. This is understandable. However, some financial
institutions are willing to make the occasional exception if
contacted about the situation. Or there may be a small fee, but
not a credit report made.
Using it for groceries or other items? Consider the true cost
before making a decision. Compare the cost of using a pay day
(or cash advance) loan to the fees charged for taking a cash
advance on your own credit card. Can family help? Often those
who are forced to use pay day loans are not able to repay the
loan by the next pay check and that can lead to a cycle of debt
and stress.
WHAT IS THE COST?
Several sources, including a consumer report by the FTC (Federal
Trade Commission) and the CFA (Consumer Federation of America)
state that usual the usual APR is between 350 - 650% with some
as high as 780%.
A loan of $100 ranges in cost between $15 - $30. If the loan is
not repaid by the pay date then it can be renewed with another
fee due at each renewal. A loan of $100 can cost $60 in fees
after 3 renewals.
WHO BENEFITS?
Based on the warnings issued by federal and consumer
organizations it is clear that using pay day loans or cash
advances from these businesses can often lead to more debt and
problems. Some sites were reported to automatically roll over
the loan and only withdraw the renewal fee on the pay date.
Other sites surveyed by the CFA required customers to agree in
contract to not participate in class action suits or to file for
bankruptcy.
Before the Business Plan
Purveyors of conventional wisdom would have you believe that the very first thing you ought to do when setting up a new business is to create a business plan.
It doesn't matter whether you are selling odds and ends on eBay from your living room or something larger and more complex,
Business plans are excellent and necessary. Far too few of us self-employed and freelance people use them.
They force us to spell out our objectives. We have to assign numbers to our expectations and assign a time-line to our goals. They become our roadmap and keep us on track.
But I suggest that you can't make a business plan that is worth anything until you've done your homework.
And that means knowing what you want to do and how you want to do it. And determining that there is sufficient demand for your product to generate enough income to cover your costs and allow a profit.
In other words, before the business plan comes research.
If a body of knowledge already exists, it makes sense to tap into it and save yourself some work. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics and other such sources, for example, publish a great deal of demographic information. Some of it is very useful.
But it is also likely that as a creative sole-proprietor, meaningful statistics don't exist about your specialty.
Many micro-businesses target a very specialized niche. And many owned by creative types exist to sell a product or service that don't follow well-worn prototypes.
It doesn't matter whether you are selling odds and ends on eBay from your living room or something larger and more complex,
Business plans are excellent and necessary. Far too few of us self-employed and freelance people use them.
They force us to spell out our objectives. We have to assign numbers to our expectations and assign a time-line to our goals. They become our roadmap and keep us on track.
But I suggest that you can't make a business plan that is worth anything until you've done your homework.
And that means knowing what you want to do and how you want to do it. And determining that there is sufficient demand for your product to generate enough income to cover your costs and allow a profit.
In other words, before the business plan comes research.
If a body of knowledge already exists, it makes sense to tap into it and save yourself some work. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics and other such sources, for example, publish a great deal of demographic information. Some of it is very useful.
But it is also likely that as a creative sole-proprietor, meaningful statistics don't exist about your specialty.
Many micro-businesses target a very specialized niche. And many owned by creative types exist to sell a product or service that don't follow well-worn prototypes.
Becoming Wise - Wild & Free: Writing A Successful Business Plan - Part 3 - The Feasibility
I am amazed at how many resources there are and how much information is available today on writing a business plan. There is software, documents, templates, outlines and a lot of experts that can help you. Most experts and resources will tell you exactly how to write a business plan and maybe even provide a template that only needs minor changes to fit your needs. All the emphasis is put on "writing" a solid business plan.
I agree that you need a good business plan but I don't believe that you need to spend hours, days or even months writing your story so that people can read all about what you are going to do. In the first place, most of the people that are going to read your plan are bankers or investors that are not so much interested in your story as they are in whether you will succeed. Secondly, you may spend a lot of time writing this great and wonderful story only to find at the end that you cannot make it work.
You need to start by analyzing the feasibility of your prospective business by using good software or a professional that can help you do the research and develop a set of projections that will be sure you have covered everything. Most businesses fail because they have not accurately projected their cash flow needs and perhaps because they have not been realistic in their projection of sales and expenses. Remember that writing a good plan is about first doing it for yourself.
For your plan to be feasible you have to decide what goals you want to accomplish and how you will get there. For instance, you may now have a job that provides you with a steady income. How much must your business make to replace that income and how long can you survive if your income is reduced? Can the project make enough money to satisfy the needs of investors? Investors typically want higher than normal returns on a high-risk investment like a start-up business.
I agree that you need a good business plan but I don't believe that you need to spend hours, days or even months writing your story so that people can read all about what you are going to do. In the first place, most of the people that are going to read your plan are bankers or investors that are not so much interested in your story as they are in whether you will succeed. Secondly, you may spend a lot of time writing this great and wonderful story only to find at the end that you cannot make it work.
You need to start by analyzing the feasibility of your prospective business by using good software or a professional that can help you do the research and develop a set of projections that will be sure you have covered everything. Most businesses fail because they have not accurately projected their cash flow needs and perhaps because they have not been realistic in their projection of sales and expenses. Remember that writing a good plan is about first doing it for yourself.
For your plan to be feasible you have to decide what goals you want to accomplish and how you will get there. For instance, you may now have a job that provides you with a steady income. How much must your business make to replace that income and how long can you survive if your income is reduced? Can the project make enough money to satisfy the needs of investors? Investors typically want higher than normal returns on a high-risk investment like a start-up business.
Bankruptcy 101
Bankruptcy’ the term that can raise the goose bumps of almost every individual who hears it and even a nervous breakdown to those who confront it. Bankruptcy stands for the situation when a person runs into huge debts and there is hardly any money left with him to repay those debts. The clouds of bankrupt situation can hover over anybody’s life be it a successful business man who has never ever fathomed it or any greenhorn entrepreneur who had thought of going a long way ahead.
There are several reasons behind this insolvency-
Indebtedness-people usually take big loans from the banks and private companies in order to run successfully their business or company. However, since the economy is constantly fluctuating, one might not be able to incur expected results or profits. So, the loan debt with interest rates gets piling on. The loan can also be taken to pay off a bill that you missed paying. The loan is taken instantly in this case without an assessment of the interest rates. This can be cause snags later.
The credit card bills are also a source of trouble. They are charged with good interest and at the end of the month when the expenditure has chewed your month’s income; the credit card bill can make you bite the dust.
In the world today where fraud and betrayals are considered to be the bets virtues, any partner or shareholder or director might connive to pitch the company or business to bankruptcy. Here the reasons can be mutual squabbles and vengeance.
There are several reasons behind this insolvency-
Indebtedness-people usually take big loans from the banks and private companies in order to run successfully their business or company. However, since the economy is constantly fluctuating, one might not be able to incur expected results or profits. So, the loan debt with interest rates gets piling on. The loan can also be taken to pay off a bill that you missed paying. The loan is taken instantly in this case without an assessment of the interest rates. This can be cause snags later.
The credit card bills are also a source of trouble. They are charged with good interest and at the end of the month when the expenditure has chewed your month’s income; the credit card bill can make you bite the dust.
In the world today where fraud and betrayals are considered to be the bets virtues, any partner or shareholder or director might connive to pitch the company or business to bankruptcy. Here the reasons can be mutual squabbles and vengeance.
Are Corporate Awards and Corporate Gifts Beneficial for your Business?
With the increased challenges that all companies are faced with, many corporations have implemented various initiatives to continue to grow corporate earnings and shareholder value, some have discovered the strategic value of corporate awards and corporate gifts.
From the boardroom to the frontlines to the client across the country, corporate awards and gifts offer many benefits to enhance performance. Not only are you showing your appreciation to the employee or customer, you setting a standard of thanks for the hard work and dedication.
Corporate Awards Benefits: A company’s success depends on its employees and their abilities. With the incentive of a corporate award or corporate gift you attract and retain current employees to pursue for more in the workplace. Corporate awards are great for:
• Direction
• Talent Retention
• Sales Goals
• Public Relations
• A Direct affect on the company’s bottom line.
Things to Consider when giving a Corporate Award: How many times do you give the award? Most companies have an annual corporate dinner or function where the years corporate awards are given out. This would be the best time to show your appreciation.
What type of recognition do you want the award to represent? You definitely want to make this award stand out and make it represent the kind of hard work that was accomplished. What kind of statement do you want to the corporate award to make? You want it to make it so that everyone else will strive for that award next year. A statement shows gratitude but also envy.
From the small business to the major corporation, corporate awards will have an increased performance level. No company should underestimate the power of corporate awards. Your business will gain a critical view of your operations and challenge to improve the business and company as a whole.
From the boardroom to the frontlines to the client across the country, corporate awards and gifts offer many benefits to enhance performance. Not only are you showing your appreciation to the employee or customer, you setting a standard of thanks for the hard work and dedication.
Corporate Awards Benefits: A company’s success depends on its employees and their abilities. With the incentive of a corporate award or corporate gift you attract and retain current employees to pursue for more in the workplace. Corporate awards are great for:
• Direction
• Talent Retention
• Sales Goals
• Public Relations
• A Direct affect on the company’s bottom line.
Things to Consider when giving a Corporate Award: How many times do you give the award? Most companies have an annual corporate dinner or function where the years corporate awards are given out. This would be the best time to show your appreciation.
What type of recognition do you want the award to represent? You definitely want to make this award stand out and make it represent the kind of hard work that was accomplished. What kind of statement do you want to the corporate award to make? You want it to make it so that everyone else will strive for that award next year. A statement shows gratitude but also envy.
From the small business to the major corporation, corporate awards will have an increased performance level. No company should underestimate the power of corporate awards. Your business will gain a critical view of your operations and challenge to improve the business and company as a whole.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Angel Investors: Who They Are & When Are They Appropriate
Angel investors are individuals who invest in emerging business ventures. Angels typically provide both capital and know-how to companies who are in either their start-up or expansion phases. To reflect the increased risk of investing in such firms, angels seek a higher rate of return versus traditional public stock investments.
Angel investors fulfill the financing need that exists between capital provided by friends and family and capital provided by venture capitalists. Individual angel investors often write checks from $25,000 to $100,000. Recently, angel investing has become more organized, and angel groups often invest from $250,000 to $500,000 at a time to deserving ventures.
Angel investors often have similar financing criteria as venture capitalists. They want to see proprietary intellectual property, a large market size, management team members with expertise and experience and a current valuation that allows for a good return on investment. In identifying and attracting an angel investor, companies should seek angel groups that are located in their region. For instance, the Tech Coast Angels have funded over 85 Southern California-based companies since 1997.
When seeking individual angel investors, it is critical to network in order to create a personal connection between yourself and the angel. Also, ideally the individual has experience within your specific field so he/she can provide industry contacts and operational expertise in addition to capital.
Angel investors fulfill the financing need that exists between capital provided by friends and family and capital provided by venture capitalists. Individual angel investors often write checks from $25,000 to $100,000. Recently, angel investing has become more organized, and angel groups often invest from $250,000 to $500,000 at a time to deserving ventures.
Angel investors often have similar financing criteria as venture capitalists. They want to see proprietary intellectual property, a large market size, management team members with expertise and experience and a current valuation that allows for a good return on investment. In identifying and attracting an angel investor, companies should seek angel groups that are located in their region. For instance, the Tech Coast Angels have funded over 85 Southern California-based companies since 1997.
When seeking individual angel investors, it is critical to network in order to create a personal connection between yourself and the angel. Also, ideally the individual has experience within your specific field so he/she can provide industry contacts and operational expertise in addition to capital.
Angel Investors: 7 Online Business Plan Scams and 1 Real Deal
1. "Only qualified investors see your business plan." Yeah, sure. And who "qualifies" them? Have a friend try to sign up as an investor (that part is usually free). How is she "qualified"? Is there a background check? Does she submit a financial statement? Odds are that she will be asked to do nothing more than sign a statement that she has a certain net worth. That's no "qualification" in my book. So who are these "investors"? Who knows. One could be your strongest competitor.
2. "You approve anyone who sees your business plan." Okay. So what are you going to do to qualify the potential investor? Are you going to run a background check? ask for ID? ask for tax returns? or just be so happy that anyone wants to see your business plan that you jump on the idea? (That's how these scams get away with charging thousands of dollars -- too many entrepreneurs are desperate for funding.)
3. "It's only $500 (or $300 or $100) to register." What does it matter if it's free? If it is diverting your time and energy and resources away from finding a viable investor, it's not worth it.
4. "Your idea is great, but we need to put it into our format. This will only cost $800." Don't walk -- run from these guys.
5. "Your idea is so great that we want to invest $2,000 in it." (That's after you spend $5,000 to put it into "their" system.) Do I really need to comment on this?
6. "Talk with a satisfied customer, or 2 or 3." Here's this entrepreneur who just got $2 million in funding, and he has nothing better to do than sell the web scam to you? Trust me, entrepreneurs who just get funded barely have time to eat, let alone talk.
7. "Look at all these written testimonials." This is harder to disprove because the testimonials look so real -- even the companies might be real. But unless the testimonials, and the companies, can be verified independently, I wouldn't trust them. And I'll lay odds that they cannot be verified independently.
2. "You approve anyone who sees your business plan." Okay. So what are you going to do to qualify the potential investor? Are you going to run a background check? ask for ID? ask for tax returns? or just be so happy that anyone wants to see your business plan that you jump on the idea? (That's how these scams get away with charging thousands of dollars -- too many entrepreneurs are desperate for funding.)
3. "It's only $500 (or $300 or $100) to register." What does it matter if it's free? If it is diverting your time and energy and resources away from finding a viable investor, it's not worth it.
4. "Your idea is great, but we need to put it into our format. This will only cost $800." Don't walk -- run from these guys.
5. "Your idea is so great that we want to invest $2,000 in it." (That's after you spend $5,000 to put it into "their" system.) Do I really need to comment on this?
6. "Talk with a satisfied customer, or 2 or 3." Here's this entrepreneur who just got $2 million in funding, and he has nothing better to do than sell the web scam to you? Trust me, entrepreneurs who just get funded barely have time to eat, let alone talk.
7. "Look at all these written testimonials." This is harder to disprove because the testimonials look so real -- even the companies might be real. But unless the testimonials, and the companies, can be verified independently, I wouldn't trust them. And I'll lay odds that they cannot be verified independently.
An Exporter? Who, Me?
NC)—If you're a small- to medium-sized business with a potential market for your product abroad, you may profit from making a move into exporting. Your first reaction may be "Me, an exporter?" but it isn't as farfetched as you may think.
Even if your company is relatively small, there may be a market for your product or service outside of Canada. In fact, 90 per cent of Canadian exporters have annual export sales of less than $1 million.
What's important is having the right product or service, a commitment to succeed, and a sound strategy. The best export strategies are built on the foundation of an up-to-date and comprehensive business plan.
If yours isn't as current as it should be, you might consider refining it with the help of the resources offered by BusinessGateway.ca. Located at www.businessgateway.ca, this Web site provides lots of free tips, advice and tools, all related to starting, running and developing your business.
Take your business plan, for example.
It should enable you to:
• identify the strengths and weaknesses of your company;
• establish your objectives and strategies, and analyse your company's performance with respect to them;
• determine your cash needs so you can approach banks and investors with confidence; and
• communicate your intentions to employees and investors.
Even if your company is relatively small, there may be a market for your product or service outside of Canada. In fact, 90 per cent of Canadian exporters have annual export sales of less than $1 million.
What's important is having the right product or service, a commitment to succeed, and a sound strategy. The best export strategies are built on the foundation of an up-to-date and comprehensive business plan.
If yours isn't as current as it should be, you might consider refining it with the help of the resources offered by BusinessGateway.ca. Located at www.businessgateway.ca, this Web site provides lots of free tips, advice and tools, all related to starting, running and developing your business.
Take your business plan, for example.
It should enable you to:
• identify the strengths and weaknesses of your company;
• establish your objectives and strategies, and analyse your company's performance with respect to them;
• determine your cash needs so you can approach banks and investors with confidence; and
• communicate your intentions to employees and investors.
Analyzing Customers in Your Business Plan
The Customer Analysis section of the business plan assesses the customer segments that the company serves. In it, the company must
1) identify its target customers,
2) convey the needs of these customers, and
3) show how its products and services satisfy these needs.
The first step of the Customer Analysis is to define exactly which customers the company is serving. This requires specificity. It is not adequate to say the company is targeting small businesses, for example, because there are several million of these types of customers. Rather, the plan must identify precisely the customers it is serving, such as small businesses with 10 to 50 employees based in large metropolitan cities on the West Coast. Once the plan has clearly identified and defined the company’s target customers, it is necessary to explain the demographics of these customers. Questions to be answered include:
1) how many potential customers fit the given definition? is this customer base growing or decreasing?
2) what is the average revenues/income of these customers? and
3) where are these customers geographically based? After explaining customer demographics, the plan must detail the needs of these customers.
Conveying customer needs could take the form of past actions (X% have purchased a similar product in the past), future projections (when interviewed, X% said that they would purchase product/service Y) and/or implications (because X% use a product/service which our product/service enhances/replaces, then X% need our product/service).
1) identify its target customers,
2) convey the needs of these customers, and
3) show how its products and services satisfy these needs.
The first step of the Customer Analysis is to define exactly which customers the company is serving. This requires specificity. It is not adequate to say the company is targeting small businesses, for example, because there are several million of these types of customers. Rather, the plan must identify precisely the customers it is serving, such as small businesses with 10 to 50 employees based in large metropolitan cities on the West Coast. Once the plan has clearly identified and defined the company’s target customers, it is necessary to explain the demographics of these customers. Questions to be answered include:
1) how many potential customers fit the given definition? is this customer base growing or decreasing?
2) what is the average revenues/income of these customers? and
3) where are these customers geographically based? After explaining customer demographics, the plan must detail the needs of these customers.
Conveying customer needs could take the form of past actions (X% have purchased a similar product in the past), future projections (when interviewed, X% said that they would purchase product/service Y) and/or implications (because X% use a product/service which our product/service enhances/replaces, then X% need our product/service).
Alternative Venture Finance: Shell Corporations
A shell corporation is a company that is incorporated but has no significant assets or operations. These corporations may be formed as an alternative venture financing mechanism. Shell company financing works in two ways. In many cases, the shell corporation is created from scratch.
The purpose of these shells is to raise money and to get a number of shares outstanding into the public’s hands. In most cases, the shares are sold in units. That is, the shares are sold as one share of common stuck plus warrants at the current offering price. The “empty” shell is then merged with the operating company.
The merged companies begin to report operating results and when the results are good, existing stockholders exercise their warrants and provide needed capital into the company. A second type of shell corporation is formed when the company seeking capital identifies an existing shell or inactive public company (IPC) as a candidate for a reverse acquisition.
This typically occurs after a public company emerges from bankruptcy. At this time it may be void of assets other than cash. In fact, the principal asset of the IPC is its often its public registration and a roster of shareholders from which new capital may be raised.
The purpose of these shells is to raise money and to get a number of shares outstanding into the public’s hands. In most cases, the shares are sold in units. That is, the shares are sold as one share of common stuck plus warrants at the current offering price. The “empty” shell is then merged with the operating company.
The merged companies begin to report operating results and when the results are good, existing stockholders exercise their warrants and provide needed capital into the company. A second type of shell corporation is formed when the company seeking capital identifies an existing shell or inactive public company (IPC) as a candidate for a reverse acquisition.
This typically occurs after a public company emerges from bankruptcy. At this time it may be void of assets other than cash. In fact, the principal asset of the IPC is its often its public registration and a roster of shareholders from which new capital may be raised.
Alternative Venture Finance: Federal Grants and Loans
While most companies seeking venture capital initially think about angel investors and venture capitalists, a large alternative source of financing is federal grants and loans. The two largest federal grant programs are run by the Small Business Administration (SBA), and by Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs).
An SBA loan, regardless of whether it is a direct loan from the SBA, or, as is more common, a bank loan guaranteed by the SBA, is essentially a bank loan. The benefit of it versus a traditional bank loan is the rate. SBA rates are typically much less than traditional business loan rates. In most cases, in a guaranteed SBA bank loan, the SBA guarantees 90 percent of the loan will be repaid to the bank.
As such, banks are at much less risk than in most other loans, and are a bit more flexible with regards to who they offer these loans. However, the SBA usually requires the founders of the company to personally guarantee the loans, which makes them risky should the venture collapse. Alternatively, Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) are privately organized corporations that are licensed and regulated by the SBA.
Small or emerging businesses which qualify for assistance from the SBIC program can receive equity capital and/or long-term loans from these companies. Essentially, these companies provide their own capital, which is supplemented by federal funds, to the companies they fund. Interestingly, U.S. taxpayers benefits from the SBIC program as tax revenues generated from successful SBIC investments have more than covered the cost of the program. Likewise the program has created hundreds of thousands of jobs.
An SBA loan, regardless of whether it is a direct loan from the SBA, or, as is more common, a bank loan guaranteed by the SBA, is essentially a bank loan. The benefit of it versus a traditional bank loan is the rate. SBA rates are typically much less than traditional business loan rates. In most cases, in a guaranteed SBA bank loan, the SBA guarantees 90 percent of the loan will be repaid to the bank.
As such, banks are at much less risk than in most other loans, and are a bit more flexible with regards to who they offer these loans. However, the SBA usually requires the founders of the company to personally guarantee the loans, which makes them risky should the venture collapse. Alternatively, Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) are privately organized corporations that are licensed and regulated by the SBA.
Small or emerging businesses which qualify for assistance from the SBIC program can receive equity capital and/or long-term loans from these companies. Essentially, these companies provide their own capital, which is supplemented by federal funds, to the companies they fund. Interestingly, U.S. taxpayers benefits from the SBIC program as tax revenues generated from successful SBIC investments have more than covered the cost of the program. Likewise the program has created hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Achieving Financial Security in an Unreliable Economy
Financial Security is a false concept that developed in American society based on the idea that security comes from the perceived reliability of a regular or planned paycheck. Many people, believing in the commitment of their corporations to their well-being, have found themselves downsized, layed-off, outsourced, transferred, or, in some cases, even fired. The immediate reality becomes harshly apparent and sadly disappointing.The bottom line is that Corporate America will always be focused on the bottom line.
As a dependent corporate employee, you are subject to the whims of the corporation. You have absolutely no control over how much you earn, where you work, the longevity and reliability of your income, or your position. You are simply a number. At any given moment, some nameless pencil-pushing number-cruncher, can deem that you are no longer an asset to the company and, rather, have become a liability. At any given moment, it can be deemed that you no longer factor into the profitability of the corporation - and your OUT. They don't care if you have a mortgage to pay, 3 kids in college or a new shiny car with a hefty payment. They don't care that you've come in early for the last 9 years or given 20 years of your life to them.
The bottom line is that you don't effect the bottom line in a positive way...so you're OUT.Corporations no longer hold value in employee commitment or dedication. Each day, companies are choosing to cut costs by outsourcing to less expensive countries with cheaper labor, downsize, and reduce costs by eliminating cost of living increases, benefits and retirement guarantees. Recently, the media has been focusing on the deliberate actions of corporations that cost employees each year. The Christian Science Monitor, on November 7th, 2005, featured an article, “Workers Face Paycheck Pinch”.
As a dependent corporate employee, you are subject to the whims of the corporation. You have absolutely no control over how much you earn, where you work, the longevity and reliability of your income, or your position. You are simply a number. At any given moment, some nameless pencil-pushing number-cruncher, can deem that you are no longer an asset to the company and, rather, have become a liability. At any given moment, it can be deemed that you no longer factor into the profitability of the corporation - and your OUT. They don't care if you have a mortgage to pay, 3 kids in college or a new shiny car with a hefty payment. They don't care that you've come in early for the last 9 years or given 20 years of your life to them.
The bottom line is that you don't effect the bottom line in a positive way...so you're OUT.Corporations no longer hold value in employee commitment or dedication. Each day, companies are choosing to cut costs by outsourcing to less expensive countries with cheaper labor, downsize, and reduce costs by eliminating cost of living increases, benefits and retirement guarantees. Recently, the media has been focusing on the deliberate actions of corporations that cost employees each year. The Christian Science Monitor, on November 7th, 2005, featured an article, “Workers Face Paycheck Pinch”.
9 things you must do to maximize your chances of obtaining a small business loan
To vastly increase your chances of a successful funding application, you will need to present the following information:
1. The reason for the loan. The lender will be looking for something that fits within the normal range and expertise of your business. The amount may cover a number of items, so you will need to cover each.
2. The amount required, and the repayment term of the small business loan you want. (e.g. $10,000 term 5 years, payable quarterly).
3. Details of how you will repay the amount borrowed. For example, “From the increase in profits of reduced running costs of the Whizzbang Go4It”
4. Details of security you will be able to offer to the lender. This will act as reassurance for the lender. If you’re not prepared to put up some aspect of security, then why should they?
5. You will need to include your business plan which will serve to answer essential questions relating to management capabilities, information about the market you operate in. What kind of business you are in etc.
6. 3 Years financial statements. You will need to present quality financial information from your accounting software, preferably signed off by your accountant or tax advisor.
7. Latest Set of Management accounts. Again produced from your accounting software.
8. Accounts receivables (debtors) and payables (creditors) ageing reports.
9. Principals financial statements. – Particularly required if some form of security is necessary.
1. The reason for the loan. The lender will be looking for something that fits within the normal range and expertise of your business. The amount may cover a number of items, so you will need to cover each.
2. The amount required, and the repayment term of the small business loan you want. (e.g. $10,000 term 5 years, payable quarterly).
3. Details of how you will repay the amount borrowed. For example, “From the increase in profits of reduced running costs of the Whizzbang Go4It”
4. Details of security you will be able to offer to the lender. This will act as reassurance for the lender. If you’re not prepared to put up some aspect of security, then why should they?
5. You will need to include your business plan which will serve to answer essential questions relating to management capabilities, information about the market you operate in. What kind of business you are in etc.
6. 3 Years financial statements. You will need to present quality financial information from your accounting software, preferably signed off by your accountant or tax advisor.
7. Latest Set of Management accounts. Again produced from your accounting software.
8. Accounts receivables (debtors) and payables (creditors) ageing reports.
9. Principals financial statements. – Particularly required if some form of security is necessary.
5 Home Biz Mistakes Every Entrepreneur Should Make!
In a previous article appropriate steps to start a home based business were discussed. This important article will review the 5 top mistakes many home based business owners make that might evolve into a great success story. Warning! This approach is not for everyone. One theory is readers will learn a new way of thinking and perhaps propel their business ideas into motion. Let's get started with the list!
1. Business Plans. Many article's online vow by the business plan. Every new business owner must draft a business plan if they want to succeed. One successful business owner online never thought of drafting a business plan. He learned the hard way. He made many errors but claimed the learning experience was a powerful teacher. He further stated the lessons he learned were better than any course in business school or college. He soon learned how to deal with the many ups and downs in the business world. Dealing with frustration. All things you learn from the school of hard knocks.
2. Education. Once again many experts think several degree's are the key to immediate success in any chosen field. Many successful entrepreneurs never went to college. And quite a few barely finished high school. Success is not always in the books you read but in how you deal with your business in the real world.
3. Rushing. Experts believe you should take your time and wait to select the proper business for you and your background or education. Taking time to study the various ideas is key to success. Others see an opportunity and immediately grab it.
4. Over confidence. Believing you will be successful and ignoring negative opinions from friends and family. Family might have good intentions, wanting to save you from making an error in judgement, but they might throw a wrench in your business idea. Halting the business venture altogether.
5. Unrealistic view. Always seeing the good side. Thinking positive. That yes you can succeed in this business. Positive thinking is an asset every self employed business owner should own. Many business owners with a positive outlook continue striding forward where others simply give up.
1. Business Plans. Many article's online vow by the business plan. Every new business owner must draft a business plan if they want to succeed. One successful business owner online never thought of drafting a business plan. He learned the hard way. He made many errors but claimed the learning experience was a powerful teacher. He further stated the lessons he learned were better than any course in business school or college. He soon learned how to deal with the many ups and downs in the business world. Dealing with frustration. All things you learn from the school of hard knocks.
2. Education. Once again many experts think several degree's are the key to immediate success in any chosen field. Many successful entrepreneurs never went to college. And quite a few barely finished high school. Success is not always in the books you read but in how you deal with your business in the real world.
3. Rushing. Experts believe you should take your time and wait to select the proper business for you and your background or education. Taking time to study the various ideas is key to success. Others see an opportunity and immediately grab it.
4. Over confidence. Believing you will be successful and ignoring negative opinions from friends and family. Family might have good intentions, wanting to save you from making an error in judgement, but they might throw a wrench in your business idea. Halting the business venture altogether.
5. Unrealistic view. Always seeing the good side. Thinking positive. That yes you can succeed in this business. Positive thinking is an asset every self employed business owner should own. Many business owners with a positive outlook continue striding forward where others simply give up.
3 Essential Tools for Starting and Maintaining a Small Business
We believe that there are 3 factors that drive the success of small businesses.
1) Acquiring start-up capital
2) Finding customers
3) Accounting
for, budgeting and controlling sales and expenses The following resources will help your small business achieve these success factors. Acquiring Start-Up Capital An adequate supply of capital is essential as many profitable businesses fail because they don’t have enough cash to pay their employees and suppliers. But what is an adequate supply of capital? The only way to tell is by doing a significant amount of research on your potential market and formally documenting this in a business plan. I’m sure you know that a business plan is a very important document that is crucial to convincing your banker to lend you money. There are two ways to obtain a business plan.
1) Do it yourself by amending a business plan template, or
2) Hire a professional to do it for you. Obviously obtain
1) will be a great deal cheaper. Our research led to a website that has over 60 high quality and free business plan templates. We also found a directory that you can use to easily find a business plan writer in your city – where ever you live in the world. Finding Customers Finding customers is a difficult and expensive task for service business owners such as accountants, lawyers and plumbers. We believe that a cost effective marketing strategy for service business owners is to simply give all their personal contacts a few business cards. Our research led to a few websites that have pre-designed business card templates. We felt that the diversity and quality of these designs was outstanding. In addition, we found that you can obtain a significant saving by finding a printing service on the Internet. We found that you could get 2,000 full color business cards for as little as US $150.
1) Acquiring start-up capital
2) Finding customers
3) Accounting
for, budgeting and controlling sales and expenses The following resources will help your small business achieve these success factors. Acquiring Start-Up Capital An adequate supply of capital is essential as many profitable businesses fail because they don’t have enough cash to pay their employees and suppliers. But what is an adequate supply of capital? The only way to tell is by doing a significant amount of research on your potential market and formally documenting this in a business plan. I’m sure you know that a business plan is a very important document that is crucial to convincing your banker to lend you money. There are two ways to obtain a business plan.
1) Do it yourself by amending a business plan template, or
2) Hire a professional to do it for you. Obviously obtain
1) will be a great deal cheaper. Our research led to a website that has over 60 high quality and free business plan templates. We also found a directory that you can use to easily find a business plan writer in your city – where ever you live in the world. Finding Customers Finding customers is a difficult and expensive task for service business owners such as accountants, lawyers and plumbers. We believe that a cost effective marketing strategy for service business owners is to simply give all their personal contacts a few business cards. Our research led to a few websites that have pre-designed business card templates. We felt that the diversity and quality of these designs was outstanding. In addition, we found that you can obtain a significant saving by finding a printing service on the Internet. We found that you could get 2,000 full color business cards for as little as US $150.
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