the hundred dollar business

…it has these ten elements:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

But wait– how can I know which parts of the business plan are critical, and which aren’t? Hrm…

***

Well, I’m teaching a business plan seminar tomorrow night, and I want to give a list of “do or die” elements to help our entrepreneurs prioritize what to include or exclude when they’re writing their plans.

Here’s a list of elements I can think of:

• Cover
• Table of contents
• Page numbers
• Logo
• Pictures
• Spiral binding
• Resumes
• Financial projections
• Sales projections
• Marketing strategy
• Operations plan
• Product description
• Management description
• Mission statement
• Revenue model
• Competitive Analysis
• Use of funds/proceeds
• References
• Photos of the product
• Market data
• Legal, bank, and accountant info
• Bios for the board of advisors
• Personal financial statements
• Keys to success
• Milestones
• SWOT chart
• Industry trends
• Target market profile
• Balance sheet
• Cash flow
• Pro forma
• Exit strategy
• IPO plan
• Equity/stock details
• Company history
• Problem/solution statement
• Strategic partnerships
• Current high-profile clients
• Strengths/weaknesses assessment
• Vacancies in management to be filled by new hires
• Description of facilities
• Sales cycle plan
• Traction
• Financial partners
• Current assets & resources
• Management’s ability to execute
• Past & current investors
• Timeline for staged growth
• Detailed analysis of competitor’s products
• Your story
• The story of your product
• Company branding strategy
• Notable achievements to date
• Appendix
• Powerpoint
• Executive summary
• Introduction from someone

I’m going to chew on this list until tomorrow– I’ll let you know what I come up with. If you have any suggestions on what you feel are priorities or not, please share!