New York Investment Network

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 > New York

Meny is the Chief Executive Officer of a marketing and business services firm headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. Renowned for his ability to provide clients with advanced business-boosting tactics and strategic marketing solutions for achieving success, Meny has worked to elevate the status and popularity of prominent brands spanning a variety of industries including corporate, not-for-profit and institutional. He has been honored with multiple legislative awards for his work in encouraging entrepreneurism amongst New York business and is a member of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. He is also the founder of Let’s Talk Business, a popular email series that is sent to thousands of online followers each week, which discusses powerful strategies that can be used by companies and organizations to help sustain further growth. A longtime entrepreneur himself, he has been featured in Crain’s Magazine, The Daily News, The New York Ent

$5,000 to $15,000

United States > Texas

Currently residing in Texas and looking to diversify my investment portfolio in the oil or oil related industry.

$1 to $25,000

United States > New York

Will consider a wide variety of investments and structures on sizes ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 with the potential for add-on's. I have worked in the asset management industry for over 10 years investing in both debt and equity instruments. I am familiar with a variety of industries and have an extensive rolodex. I am a private investor that will invest independently or bring along several family offices.

$50,000 to $500,000

United States > New York

I am an accountant, a lawyer and an officer at a mid-size media company that has grown significantly over the past five years as a result of financing, strategic partnerships and the restructuring of obligations. I have partnered with a few key people with a broad range of expertise to invest in small, profitable companies with the potential for serious growth. It is our goal to invest in companies and to use our expertise and relationships to add value.

$0 to $2,000,000

United States > New Jersey

Seeking to invest via debt or equity in promising start ups. Can also offer my services as a CPA working in Real Estate taxation should my services be needed.

$1 to $5,000

United States > New Jersey

I am an individual investor and currently in the US Military and looking to invest my extra cash into a long term investment plans

$500,000 to $5,000,000

United States > Florida

I have been investing in real estate for appox 10 years. If the project makes sense and if the project is legal count us in.

$10,000,000 to $50,000,000

United States > Georgia

Earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA in Economics and American Studies at the University of Richmond in Virginia. brings over 10 years of experience in healthcare operations and private equity investing. Our background includes oversight of Strategic Planning, Corporate Development and Sales & Marketing as the company grew. Our principal investment experience includes more than 50 completed transactions representing over $1.3 billion of equity capital.

$10,000 to $10,000,000