272 | HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN
Securities laws, 9, 58, 74–75, 181
Security deposits, 111
Self-evaluation exercises, 13–17
Selling your business, 189
Selling your business plan
approaching various backers, 174–178
asking for money, 172–174
handling past financial problems, 173
legal details, 179–181
promissory note examples, 180
when someone says “yes,” 178–179
Service businesses
annual average cost of sales, 106
business accomplishment resume
example, 82
business description for, 30
capital spending plan example, 125
cash flow forecast example, 129–132,
135
defined, 25–26
gross profit margins in, 41, 42–43
offering low-cost services, 104
on risky business list, 23
sales revenue forecast, 37, 38, 39
sample business plan for, 212–225
self-evaluating strengths and weakness
for, 14–15
trade credit in, 61
Service Corps of Retired Executives
(SCORE), 196
Shareholders, 58
Signature loans, 54, 93
Signs, 124, 165
Skills assessment, 14–17
Small Business Administration (SBA), 65,
72–73, 178, 196, 203
Small Business Investment Company
(SBIC), 73
Small business resources. See Resources
for small businesses
Social Security tax, 110
Software development businesses, 26
Software for your business, 115, 204–205,
206
Sole proprietors, 190
Sources of money. See Financing
Specific business goals, 2, 16–17, 159
Staffing schedule, 2, 153
Start-up businesses, 1–2, 40, 42–43,
123–125
State loan assistance, 74, 196
State sales volume statistics, 37
State securities laws exemptions, 75
Stock shares, 9, 58, 74–75, 181
Strengths and weaknesses evaluation,
14–15
Success, recognizing, 187–188
Suppliers, trade credit from, 61–62,
130–132
Supplies, expensing, 117, 118
Supply list, business plan, 3
Supporters, financing from, 64, 175–176
Supporting documents, 2, 158, 159,
165–166
SWAGs (“Scientific,” Wild Ass Guesses),
35, 130T
Table of Contents, business plan, 2, 158,
159, 165–166, 167
Target customers, 142–143, 145
Taste, changes in, 30–31, 140, 148
Tax deposits, 124