Creating a Successful Business Plan

November 11, 2015

When Minnesota entrepreneurs are starting a company, it is important that they create a business plan. A good business plan can serve several purposes. It can help owners determine what their goals are and how to meet them, and a plan can also help them obtain funding for their venture.

For a business plan to be successful, it should be tailored to its audience, and it should be based on. The type of plan owners should present will often depend on whether they are looking for talent, a loan or equity. Plans should be designed to focus on the topics that the viewer will be most interested in. For example, an equity investor is likely to be most interested in long-term profit projections.

A business plan should also be based on obtainable goals, and owners should provide data or background information that explains how these goals can be met. Investors and talent alike are more likely to be dissuaded by a plan that includes overly optimistic projections. If expectations are high, a business plan should be able to provide a road map that indicates how they can be achieved.

Along with determining how a business is going to be run, a business plan should also take into account the company’s legal obligations. These can cost a business money in the form of taxes, and it can also lead to other costs when companies in certain industries are required to meet standards, such as using particular safety equipment or training staff to handle dangerous materials. A lawyer who has experience in regulatory compliance can often be of assistance in this regard.

This information is general in nature and should not be construed as tax or legal advice.