Entrepreneur - Business Plan Tips

Business Plan Tips

What Investors Are Looking For In A Plan

Investors, whether angels or VC's, are looking for the same things when reading a business plan. They want to know how big the opportunity is, whether this is the right team to exploit the opportunity, who the competition is, what the risks are, and why they can expect this team to implement successfully. Your job in writing the business plan is to address these questions convincingly and clearly.

Emphasize Your Real Strengths

Highlight what your team brings to the table. If your business hinges on a particular competency (for example, understanding the procurement process), your plan will be more persuasive if one of your team members knows something about it and that is brought out in your plan. Rather than including generic resumes of team members, tailor the resumes to draw out the experience each member has that will make him or her a valuable contributor.

Get To The Point And Make It Clear And Comprehensive

Investors see many business plans. A 20-page plan which clearly lays out your business is far more likely to be read than a 100 page plan. Today, some entrepreneurs are using a 15 slide Powerpoint presentation. If your text is short and punchy, you won't need to repeat yourself, because the reader won't be bogged down keeping ten chapters in their head. Reading the same thing over and over, even if it's in different words, can get really tiring. The more you use brevity and give each concept a single home in your document, the more people will want to read it.

Write In Plain English

If you can't explain your idea in English, either you don't understand what you're talking about (What is a transaction enabled atomic journaling database server, anyway?) or you haven't simplified the idea enough. Think, revise, and try again.

Get Rid Of The Hype

Yes, we know you will be the "premier insert product category here of the Internet, achieving 99% market penetration with 60% customer retention in 3 months". Your product will reach "new heights in customer experience through the use of personalization and one-to-one profiling and customization". It will be "user friendly" because you will be creating a truly "ecstatic customer experience". It is a "quantum leap forward" in the marketplace for product category here. Um, yeah. Believe me, we've read it before. About a dozen times today, in fact. (And by the way, the phrase "quantum leap" really doesn't mean anything.) Stick to a tight, simple explanation of your idea. Convince your reader you'll be the best because your idea is the best, not because you can string a dozen buzzwords together.

Use Quantifiable Information

In each section, back up your assertions with solid facts. Even if you are a new venture and cannot give specific figures on the performance of your business, quote figures for the industry or your competitors. These real figures carry more weight than your assumed projections and give more reality to your plan.

Choose A Huge Market

Especially in the internet world, investors are looking more at the market than at the detailed specifics of your financials. Choose a market that is big enough to be an obvious good opportunity. A business which targets teenage girls who listen to music and has a reasonable chance of capturing 90% of the girls that are online is a huge opportunity. A business which targets net-savvy SAAB mechanics who need prosthetic limbs is not.

Local Investors

United States > Ohio

Extensive experience in waste industry, vending, and manufacturing.

$50,000 to $500,000

United States > Connecticut

I succeed if you succeed. My goal is to give you what you need to prosper whether that be hands- on or hands-off. I'm a married, MBA living in Connecticut with a very broad level experience in the consumer goods industry. My experience includes international retail markets but also includes some large corporate licensing deals with major global corporations. I plan to consider viable investment options while leveraging my education in marketing and general business. While also taking advantage of extensive experience at an entrepreneurial company in managing fast moving projects with a need to be profitable almost immediately.

$5,000 to $10,000

United States > California

Senior Vice President Investment; Master degree, in London,U.K. Real Estate in NYC, and Finance in Beverly Hills; We finance projects in any industry with a strong executive summary; Collateral providers,and investors in hotels and hospitality; Currently we have top qualified clients who need finance of $10M and above; We review their profile and e.s. while provide to them the right guarantees to get the finance, We also encourage bankers and funds who need collateral for their clients to complete deals, we can do so, after they submit the POF and the approval for the principals. Loyalty,integrity,with fast service are some of our principals.

$10,000,000 to $300,000,000

Costa Rica > San José

Entrepreneurial General Manager with diverse commercial, planning, operational and human resource development experience within the shipping, reefer and fresh produce industry. Lead operational and commercial planning to attain and exceed corporate goals in a range of geographies, business requirements and in diverse economic climates and customer needs. Global Experience: Executive with +20 years of experience who built a long term career at Chiquita Brands International (CBI) and its subsidiary Great White Fleet (GWF). Chiquita is a leading global company that produces high-quality fresh food products. Great White Fleet is Chiquita’s shipping arm and cargo carrier that provides ocean freight and intermodal transportation services.

$25,000 to $100,000

United States > North Carolina

Tim’s career spans over thirty years as a business owner, corporate executive, consultant, and scholar. He spent the first sixteen years of his career as an entrepreneur, creating, building, and managing several successful companies, including a commercial banking firm that catered to vendors and manufacturers using equipment financing as a catalyst for driving incremental sales. This business was acquired in 1996 and went through multiple mergers and acquisitions that ultimately led Tim to join Citigroup’s CitiCapital division as Vice President. For the next seven years he managed the business technology sector responsible for Cisco Systems, Oracle, and other major companies, building this group’s sales to over $200 million. As a consultant, coach, and Chairman of Funding, his clients have included well known companies such as Ericsson, Lucent, Corning Optics, Herman Miller, Haworth, Steelcase, as well as many small and midsize businesses.

$250,000 to $4,000,000

United States > Florida

Private investor with experience in telecoms, apps, eCommerce and all things web. Loves the buzz of startups or taking co's to the next level. Prefer hands on but willing to sit and comment / advise. Originally from the UK with strong business links both sides of the pond.

$50,000 to $500,000

United States > New York

Entrepreneur, managing director, and general manager at multiple companies

$10,000 to $100,000

United States > New Jersey

Interested in Investing in business, startups, existing businesses in New York

$10,000 to $500,000

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