Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part I: Getting Started 7
Chapter 1: Letting Your Plan Take Flight 9
Chapter 2: Figuring Out What's So Special about You (and Your Business) 27
Chapter 3: Sizing up the Competition 39
Part II: Doing the Groundwork 57
Chapter 4: Budgeting for Start-Up Expenses 59
Chapter 5: Figuring out Prices and Predicting Sales 77
Chapter 6: Calculating Costs and Gross Profit 97
Chapter 7: Planning for Expenses 119
Part III: Checking Your Idea Makes Financial Sense 145
Chapter 8: Assembling Your Profit & Loss Projection 147
Chapter 9: Calculating Your Break-Even Point 169
Chapter 10: Creating Cashflows and Building Budgets 179
Part IV: Transforming Your Idea into Reality 199
Chapter 11: Separating Yourself from Your Business 201
Chapter 12: Developing a Strong Marketing Plan 219
Chapter 13: Staying One Step Ahead 243
Chapter 14: Managing Risk 259
Chapter 15: Pulling Together Your Written Plan 275
Part V: The Part of Tens 295
Chapter 16: Ten Tips for Using Excel in Your Business Plan 297
Chapter 17: Ten Ideas for a Well-Presented Plan 309
Chapter 18: Ten Questions to Ask before You're Done 319
Appendix: Sample Business Plan 327
Index 349