Successful Business Planning in 21 Days : A Complete Guide to Starting Your Business

by Titus, Dan P.

• ISBN13: 9781582911120
• ISBN10: 1582911126
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-30
• Publisher: Venture Marketing

Table of Contents

About The Author
Introduction
How to Use This Book	2	(1)
Preplanning	2	(1)
Business Plan Elements	2	(1)
Leases & Negotiation	3	(1)
Financing Your Business	3	(1)
Taxes & Insurance	3	(1)
Safety	3	(1)
Management & Operations	3	(1)
The Web Site	4	(1)
Appendix	4	(1)
Final Notes	4
Preplanning
Preplanning	1	(1)
Why Do You Want to Start Business?	2	(1)
Self-Evaluation	2	(1)
Personal Characteristics	2	(1)
Personal Conditions	3	(1)
Consequences of Launching a Business	3	(1)
Your Business Knowledge	4	(1)
Feasibility	4	(1)
Your Business Idea	4	(1)
The Market	5	(1)
Business Start-Up Planning	5	(1)
Name and Legal Structure	6	(1)
Choosing a Business Structure	6	(1)
Sole Proprietorship	6	(1)
Corporation	7	(1)
Limited Liability Company	7	(1)
Limited Partnership	8	(1)
General Partnership	8	(1)
Limited Liability Partnership	8	(1)
Your Business and the Law	8	(1)
Checklists	9	(1)
Federal Government	9	(1)
State Government	10	(1)
Local Government	10	(1)
Protecting Your Business	10	(1)
Other Tasks	11	(1)
Landlord Demands	11
Business Plan Primer
Business Plan Structure	2	(1)
Executive Summary	2	(1)
The Business Concept	2	(1)
Marketing Approach	2	(1)
Financial Features	2	(1)
Start-up Costs	3	(1)
Current Business Position	3	(1)
Achievements to Date	3	(1)
Statement of Objectives	3	(1)
Qualifications of Principals	3	(1)
Background of Proposed Business	4	(1)
Product or Service Use	4	(1)
Industry Overview and Trends	4	(1)
Strength and Weakness Analysis	5	(1)
The Four Ps of Marketing	5	(1)
Product	5	(1)
Place	6	(1)
Pricing	6	(1)
Promotion	7	(1)
Market Segmentation	7	(1)
Forms of Market Segmentation	8	(1)
Organizational Plan	8	(1)
Financial and Technical Data	8	(1)
Profit and Loss Projection	8	(1)
Pro Forma Balance Sheets	9	(1)
Cash Flow Projection (Budget)	9	(1)
Break-even Analysis	10	(1)
Acquisition Schedule for Fixed Assets	10	(1)
Other Supporting Data	10	(1)
Summary and Conclusions	11	(1)
The Appendix	11
Financial Planning
Understanding the Health of a Company	2	(1)
The Income Statement	2	(2)
Sales (Revenues)	4	(1)
Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) - Cost of Sales	4	(2)
Gross Profit	6	(1)
Selling Expenses	7	(1)
Administrative Expenses	7	(7)
Balance Sheet or Condition Statement	14	(1)
Assets	15	(2)
Liabilities	17	(2)
Solvency Ratios	19	(1)
Current Ratio	19	(1)
Quick Ratio	19	(1)
Current Liabilities to Net Worth	20	(1)
Total Liabilities to Net Worth	20	(1)
Fixed Assets to Net Worth	20	(1)
Efficiency Ratios	21	(1)
Sales to Trade Receivables	21	(1)
Day's Receivables	21	(1)
Sales to Net Working Capital	22	(1)
Sales to Inventory	22	(1)
Profitability Ratios	22	(1)
Return on Sales	22	(1)
Return on Assets	23	(1)
Return on Equity	23	(2)
Break-even Point	25
Marketing
How to Create a Marketing Plan	2	(1)
Defining the Business	3	(1)
Assessing Your Competition	3	(2)
Overview of Market Strategies	5	(1)
Market Leaders	5	(1)
Market Challengers	6	(1)
Market-Nichers	7	(1)
Discovering Your Business	8	(1)
Reaching Your Buyers	9
Discovering Your Customers	8	(1)
Promotion Tips	8	(6)
Direct Sales	14	(1)
Qualify Your Potential Customers	14	(1)
Measures Your Cost Per Lead	14	(1)
Close the Sale	15	(1)
Marketing Feedback and Improvement	15	(1)
Product Feasibility	16
Leases & Negotiation
Leases	2	(1)
Percentage Rent Deals	3	(1)
Per-Square-Foot Rent	4	(1)
Rent Provisions	4	(1)
Term of Lease	5	(1)
Assignment and Subleasing	5	(1)
Rent Escalation Provisions	6	(1)
Mitigation	6	(1)
CAM, Taxes and Insurance	7	(1)
Sample Lease Provisions	8
Financing Your Business
Money Sources	2	(1)
You Have the Money	2	(1)
The Bank Has the Money	2	(1)
The Government Has the Money	3	(1)
Family and Friends Have the Money	3	(1)
Partners	3	(1)
Credit Cards	4	(1)
Your Plan of Attack	4	(1)
Constructive Criticism	4
Taxes & Insurance
Taxes & Insurance	2	(1)
Taxes	2	(1)
Employer Tax Requirements	2	(1)
Employer Identification Number (EIN)	2	(1)
Employees and Independent Contractors	3	(1)
Employer Tax Withholding	4	(1)
Unemployment Tax	4	(1)
Employment Eligibility	5	(1)
Employee Tips and Taxes	5	(2)
Inventory Taxes and Valuation	7	(1)
Income Tax	8	(1)
Sales Taxes	8	(1)
Sellers Permit	9	(1)
Insurance	9	(2)
Worker's Compensation Insurance	11
Safety
Injury and Illness Prevention Program	2	(1)
Responsibility	3	(1)
Compliance	3	(1)
Communication	3	(1)
Hazard Assessment	4	(1)
Accident Exposure and Investigations	4	(1)
Hazard Correction	5	(1)
Training and Instruction	5	(1)
Record Keeping	6	(2)
Hazard Assessment and Correction Form	8	(1)
Accident and Investigation Report	9	(1)
Employee Training and Instruction Record	10	(1)
Fire Safety	11	(1)
Hazard Awareness Program	11	(1)
General Safety	12
Management & Operations
Hiring	2	(1)
Evaluation of Potential Job Candidates	2	(1)
Weighting-Scoring Model	3	(1)
Job Candidate Evaluation	4	(2)
Evaluating Employee Performance	6	(6)
Purchasing	12	(1)
Selecting Products for Purchase	12	(1)
Inventory Management	13	(1)
Economies of Scale	13	(1)
Inventory Turnover	14	(1)
Safety Stocks	15	(1)
Lead Times	15	(1)
Reorder Points	15	(1)
Inventory and Point-of-Sale Systems (POS)	16	(1)
Features of POS	17	(1)
Inventory Systems	17	(1)
Credit Card Processing: A Primer	18
The Web Site
Project Management Software	2	(1)
Office Suite Software	2	(1)
Business Plan Software	2	(1)
Employee Shift Scheduling Software	2	(1)
Safety Advisor Software	3	(1)
OSHA Software Application Programs	3	(1)
Safety Pays	3	(1)
Fire Safety	3	(1)
Hazard Awareness	3	(1)
Safety and Health	4	(1)
Occupational Safety (OSHA)	4	(1)
Posters	4	(1)
Ebooks	4	(1)
CD-ROM	5
Appendix	1	(1)
Index	1