What is included with this book?
Dan Boudreau is a business planning coach specializing in small business development and financial forecasting. His services span the areas of research, planning and training. With 20 years of experience in the consulting field, Dan has developed and facilitated workshops on the topics of entrepreneurship, business planning, market research, forecasting, proposal development, and train the trainer.
Dan has owned and operated small businesses since 1980, ranging from single owner home-based enterprises to more than 180 employees. He is acknowledged and appreciated by his peers and clients for his excellent communication skills and his ability to bring entrepreneurial ideas to fruition, which ensure that his clients receive services of the highest quality.
Dan is passionate about coaching others into the complex world of business. He uses business planning as a learning process to empower entrepreneurs to start or grow small businesses and to create financial stability and the lifestyle they want.
Dedication | p. vii |
Acknowledgments | p. ix |
Introduction | p. xvii |
How to Get the Most from This Book | p. xix |
The Business Planner's Primer | p. 1 |
Opportunities Abound | p. 2 |
The Business of You | p. 3 |
Taming Your Financial Life | p. 4 |
Why Develop a Business Plan? | p. 5 |
Conquer the Fear of Writing | p. 6 |
Develop Your Basic Technical Skills | p. 7 |
Hitch a Ride on the Shoulders of Giants | p. 9 |
Prepare to Burn the Midnight Oil | p. 11 |
Giving Birth to Your Business | p. 12 |
Myths About Owning a Business | p. 14 |
Tackle Your Deal Breakers | p. 16 |
Buy, Build or Franchise | p. 18 |
Name Your Business | p. 21 |
Use the Internet to Research | p. 23 |
Credit and Financing Options | p. 31 |
Have You Hugged Your Gatekeeper Today? | p. 34 |
Tips for Writing Your Business Plan | p. 36 |
Make Your Business Plan Easy to Read | p. 40 |
Dan's Top Business Planning Tricks | p. 43 |
Get Equipped for Business Planning | p. 45 |
Welcome to the RoadMap™ | p. 45 |
Prepare to Embark | p. 49 |
Chart Your Path | p. 52 |
Organize Your Work Space | p. 53 |
Establish Your Timelines | p. 55 |
Create Your Action Plan | p. 56 |
Wade Into Your Industry | p. 57 |
Start a Research Scrapbook or Journal | p. 58 |
Write Your Business Vision | p. 59 |
Set Out to Prove Your Business Case | p. 60 |
Embrace Market Research | p. 63 |
Set Up Your List of Appendices | p. 65 |
Brainstorm Products and Services | p. 66 |
Prioritize Your Products and Services | p. 67 |
Discover Your Assumptions | p. 71 |
Set Market Research Goals | p. 75 |
Write Market Research Questions | p. 79 |
Prove Your Assumptions | p. 82 |
List Key Points about Your Industry | p. 84 |
Segment Your Market | p. 91 |
Write a Draft Description of Your Customers | p. 92 |
Assess What You Are Learning | p. 93 |
Research Competitors | p. 95 |
Prioritize and Target Customers | p. 99 |
Clarify Primary Research Questions | p. 101 |
Gather Primary Research | p. 102 |
Create Your Survey Questionnaire | p. 104 |
Survey Your Customers | p. 108 |
Compile Survey Information | p. 109 |
Revise Description of Customers | p. 110 |
Make a Go/No-Go Decision | p. 111 |
Build Your Business Concept Section | p. 115 |
Describe Your Business | p. 116 |
List Your Products and Services | p. 122 |
Describe Your Industry | p. 127 |
Write Your Biography | p. 130 |
Develop Your Strategic Plan and Goals | p. 132 |
Map Your Marketing Section | p. 135 |
Describe Your Market Area | p. 136 |
Describe Your Location | p. 137 |
Describe Your Customers | p. 138 |
Analyze Your Competitors and Differentiate | p. 141 |
Describe How You Will Sell | p. 145 |
Clarify Servicing and Guarantees | p. 147 |
Craft Your Business Image | p. 148 |
Develop Advertising and Promotion | p. 149 |
Present Prices and Pricing Strategy | p. 152 |
Develop a Marketing Action Plan | p. 157 |
Organize Your Operations Section | p. 161 |
Describe Your Operation | p. 162 |
List Equipment and Methods | p. 164 |
Source Materials and Supplies | p. 166 |
Identify and Control Your Risks | p. 168 |
Describe Your Management Team | p. 174 |
Select Your Professionals | p. 176 |
Determine Labor Requirements | p. 179 |
Develop Your Operational Action Plan | p. 182 |
Forecast Your Financial Section | p. 185 |
Forecast Your Sales | p. 187 |
Explain Your Projections | p. 191 |
Estimate Your Market Share | p. 194 |
Present Your Cost of Goods Sold | p. 196 |
Summarize Labor Projections | p. 198 |
Develop Your Cash Flow Forecast | p. 199 |
Identify Your Operating Expenses | p. 204 |
Develop Your Projected Income Statement | p. 206 |
Determine Your Break-Even | p. 211 |
Build a Pro Forma Balance Sheet | p. 213 |
Identify Your Start-Up Expenses | p. 216 |
Clarify Sources and Uses of Funds | p. 219 |
Assemble Your Appendices | p. 221 |
Build a Resumé | p. 224 |
Determine Personal Net Worth | p. 230 |
Include Certificates and Accreditation | p. 231 |
Provide Historical Financials | p. 232 |
Create Organizational Charts | p. 233 |
Get the Approval of Your Board | p. 234 |
Build Your List of References | p. 235 |
Include Letters of Reference Step | p. 236 |
Include Letters of Intent | p. 238 |
Include Signed Contracts and Offers | p. 240 |
Create a Partnership Agreement | p. 241 |
Include Lease Agreement(s) | p. 244 |
Include Insurance Documents | p. 245 |
Develop Your Price List | p. 246 |
Gather and Include Price Quotes | p. 247 |
Get Written Estimates | p. 248 |
Provide the Right Survey Info | p. 249 |
Create a Map of Your Market Area | p. 250 |
Include Environmental Information | p. 251 |
Gather Free Publicity | p. 252 |
Create Promotional Materials | p. 253 |
Add Product Literature | p. 257 |
Add Technical Information | p. 258 |
Explain Any Confusing Terms | p. 259 |
Craft Your Final Presentation | p. 261 |
Create Your Title Page | p. 262 |
Write Your Executive Summary | p. 263 |
Develop Your Table of Contents | p. 269 |
Write Confidentiality and Copyright | p. 270 |
Evaluate Your Business Plan | p. 271 |
Have Others Critique Your Plan | p. 273 |
Revise and Rewrite Your Business Plan | p. 274 |
Complete Your Application for Financing | p. 275 |
Write Your Cover Letter | p. 277 |
Present Your Business Plan | p. 280 |
Suggested Reading | p. 285 |
Index | p. 289 |
Dan Boudreau Biography | p. 313 |
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.
The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.