Business Planning

Anybody out there have any expertise in writing a business plan please?

Thanks Michelle. You're a !!!! I will look him up!

This seems to be nice site with lots of free sample business plans and paid software to do business plans though i never used them

http://www.bplans.co.uk/?utm_source=bplansUS&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=Geo

Hi Jae

I've written hundreds in my time infact just finished one for a pub, happy to share / help if you want to give me a call.

Clive

I used Sage Planning for Business software which came free with the Lloyds Business bank account. It takes you through all the steps and then prints you

out the finished plan - really useful tool and must be still available and still free.

There are two aspects to writing a business plan. The first is that the questions should be answered objectively and accurately. The questions should be asked by an experienced third party. The second part is that the end results should be presented to the interested party in the format they understand. Most banks will provide free business planning software and so all plans will conform to what they want to see.

Have several goes at producing a plan. When you are happy with it, add a touch of realism. Increase your costs by 10%, reduce your income by 20%, delay your income by three months. Do the numbers still add up? Great, go for it.

Finally, the most important thing about a realistic business plan is that it gives you the information to say "no, this won't work, it is too tight". It allows you to walk away. It is the cheapest form of business failure and the least painful of all. At worst your ego is bruised, at best you have saved the roof over your head.

Gary

Thanks Gary. Good points you made there. Very useful. 

+1 for Bob - we're working with him at present.

Hi Jae,

Add Carl Hopkins from Direct Business Advice Ltd to your list. tel: 0845 64 22 123

Regards

Selvin