How to Write a Business Plan

INDEx | 265

quick plan (one-day) outline, 158
title page and table of contents, 166
writing final portions, 159–164, 167
Education, getting a formal business,
209–210
Electronics businesses, 24–25
Employees
books on hiring, 200
consultants as, 195
expensing benefits paid to, 118
vs. independent contractors, 114
key employee resumes, 165
payroll taxes on, 110, 114, 132–133
personnel plan, 2, 152–156, 159
piece-rate/commission costs, 106, 110
spotting theft by, 119–120
staffing schedule, 2, 153
workers’ compensation insurance, 114
Equipment, 117, 118, 124
Equipment leasing, 69
Equity in other assets, for financing, 63–64
Equity investments/investors, 54–59, 160,
177–178, 181
Evaluating decision to start a business. See
Business concept; Owning a business
Examples of business plans. See Sample
business plans
Existing businesses, 43, 68–70
Expanding a business, pitfalls of, 188–189
Expenses
capital items/assets, 111, 124
cost of sales, 103–106, 107, 110, 124
fixed costs, 36, 40–41, 43–47, 63, 111,
118
preopening costs, 122, 135–136, 160

F

Factors/factoring companies, 69–70

Failure in business, 187–188

Family, financing from, 62–63, 173,

174–175

Fax service business, 129–132,  135

Federal agency loan assistance, 72–74,  196

Finalizing your plan. See Editing and

finalizing your business plan

Financial problems, handling past,  173

Financial projections, 7. See also Break-

even analysis; Profit and Loss Forecast

Financial statement. See Personal financial

statement

Financing

from asset equity, 63–64

banks for, 64–66, 69, 71,   72

books on, 198–199

business plans to attract, 1–2, 6,  63

cash flow forecasts reflecting future,  134

comparing loans and equity investments,

58–59

creative cost-cutting and,  63

deducting payments to investors,    118

equity investments, 54–59,  160

existing businesses, additional sources

for, 68–70

federal, state, local programs, 72–74

friends, relatives, colleagues, 62–63

insurance companies and pension funds,

74

loans, 51–54, 58–59

overview on, 12–13, 51, 59–60,  75

from personal savings, 60–62

public offerings, 74–75

from supporters,    64