How to write a business plan

Why and How to Write a Business Plan

Do You Really Want to Own a Business?

Choosing the Right Business

Potential Sources of Money to Start or Expand Your Small Business

Your Résumé and Financial Statement

Your Profit and Loss Forecast

Your Cash Flow Forecast and Capital Spending Plan

Write Your Marketing and Personnel Plans

- Editing and Finalizing Your Business Plan

Selling Your Business Plan

After You Open

Keeping on the Path to Success

Good Resources for Small Business

Business Plans for Nonprofits.

1. Benefits of writing a business plan : What is a business plan? ; Why write a business plan? ; Issues beyond the plan

2. Do you really want to own a business? : Self-evaluation exercises ; How to use the self-evaluation lists ; Reality check: banker's analysis

3. Choosing the right business : Know your business ; Be sure you like your business ; Describe your business ; Taste, trends, and technology: how will the future affect your business? ; Break-even analysis: will your business make money? ; What you have accomplished

4. Potential sources of money to start or expand your small business : Ways to raise money ; Common money sources to start or expand a business ; Now that you've proven yourself, how about expanding? ; If no one will finance your business, try again ; Secondary sources of financing for start-ups or expansions

5. Your resume and financial statement : Draft your business accomplishment resume ; Draft your personal financial statement

6. Your profit and loss forecast : What is a profit and loss forecast? ; Determine your average cost of sales ; Complete your profit and loss forecast ; Review your profit and loss forecast

7. Your cash flow loss forecast and capital spending plan : Prepare your capital spending plan ; Prepare your cash flow forecast ; Required investment for your business ; Check for trouble

8. Write your marketing and personnel plans : Marketing plan ; Personnel plan

9. Editing and finalizing your business plan : Decide how to organize your plan ; Write final portions of your plan ; Create the appendix ; Create title page and table of contents ; Complete your final edit ; Consider using a business consultant

10. Selling your business plan : How to ask for the money you need ; How to approach different backers ; What to do when someone says "yes" ; Plan in advance for legal details

11. After you open: keeping on the path to success : Watch out for problem areas ; Getting out of business

12. Good resources for small businesses : Business consultants ; Books ; Pamphlets ; Magazines: continuing small business help ; Computers and business ; Online business resources ; Formal education

Appendixes : A. Business plan for a small service business ; B. Business plan for a manufacturing business ; C. Business plan for project development ; D. How to use the interactive forms : Editing RFTs ; Files on the book's companion page.

Benefits of writing a business plan

Do you really want to own a business?

Choosing the right business

Potential sources of money to start or expand your small business

Your resume and financial statement

Your profit and loss forecast

Your cash flow forecast and capital spending plan

Write your marketing and personnel plans

Editing and finalizing your business plan

Selling your business plan

After you open-keeping on the path to success

Good resources for small businesses.