Yuck. This is what I think when the words Business Plan are mentioned. Everyone says that you need one, but where do you start? Why do you actually need one, anyway? Besides, I’m much too busy running my business.

Why You Need A Business Plan
You have a business and you want to make money. The business plan answers the questions "what is your business and who are your customers?" and "How are you going to make money and how much?" A few other questions are answered also, but these are the main ones. A business plan helps you to understand your market, your product, your customer, and your future, all very important things that help provide direction for your business. Can you make it without one? For a while, yes! At some point, you will know that your business needs direction and goals. It will also be painfully necessary when you go to your bank for a loan. Better to have a plan before starting your business, but now is always a good time to start. Do you know how a typical business plan is constructed?

The Process
We started the business using our best guess and a lot of luck. I had to do many things I didn’t want to do (like call my competitors and try to learn about their company) but now I know that I am much better informed. The class that I took also put me in touch with a number of new leads and other new business owners. Some of these businesses are using my services. This alone will pay for the money that I spent on the course.

Resources
There are many resources available to help you write your plan. First, visit your local library and check out some books on business plans, also take a look at some Sample Business Plans, don’t make the mistake of thinking all business plans are the same, they need to reflect the business, so check out these sample plans, there are some good examples of different catering businesses - this will give you a starting point. Second, contact your local Business Link office for free information about writing business plans. Third, you could hire a business consultant to help you write the dreaded document. I really don’t recommend this; there is much to be learned from this exercise. But if you do need help, I strongly advise you choose to work with someone who knows this business well. If you want help on how to select an advisor click here.

Fourth, you could buy a Software Program to help give you structure to your written document.