Matrix

I’ve been asked to write a business plan on a fee-for-services consulting basis. What’s the going rate for this kind of work? I estimate that it will take about a month to complete the work. I have an MBA and over 10 years of experience starting new businesses, but I’ve never done this work on a fee for services basis. I’m trying to figure out how much to charge for my services.

I couldn’t tell yo. I’ve done my own as well. I bet a business lawyer could tell you though.

I am trying to find an example of a business plan for a cell phone company to base my business plan on.

I have not encountered a free business plan for a cell phone company (or even paid, for that matter).

But here are some resources that can help you write your business plan — they may not be exactly what you need but at least it can give you ideas :

- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm
- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html

You may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:

- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm
- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners
http://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html
- VFinance – View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp
- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp
- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/
- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html
-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf
- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid
- Business Plans Index – A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html
-
Some recommended books are :

- Business Plans Kit for Dummies
- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan
- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide
- Business Plans For Dummies®
- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan

Hope that the above resources help

I am currently laying out and putting together my business plan right now but have a quick question. Should each section begin on a new page meaning…after the Executive Summary (or any other section) should I begin the next section of the plan on a new page or could I start the next section at the bottom of the page at the end of the Executive Summary?

Each section Header should start on a new page. Setting your follow up for each header to fit with in the one inch margin at the bottom.

Keep it neat, to the point , and short.

I am trying to prepare a business plan but am overwhelmed by the task of organizing the endless info.

Please list in order the major sections and their subsections? (to include all the major areas that should be considered including SWOT, competitive analysis, strategic HRM plan, finances, etc …)

I just spent the money on Business plan pro, it practically writes itself. I have done 2 for myself and successfully submitted 4 for my friends. I actually made $450 on the software. Not sure if they offer a free trial but they have templates and how to guides. It’s the best product I ever bought for my business. Well, maybe Quickbooks.

http://sequimpc.com/Business_Plan_Pro

It lets you save your progress as you are going along. I found out it has a 60 day money back guarantee on it. It came with a book called "Plan as you go" it was very helpful for completing my first business plan.

I recently filed chapter 7 bankruptcy. I want to buy a business from the owners I work for as soon as possible. I am working on a business plan (with help). So my question is do you think its possible i’ll get approved after waiting a certain period of time(2 years?), and if I have little capital to apply towards the loan? This is a well established business that ive been running for the owners for over 2 years, I know how to completely run the business already.

You can submit your issue in the following website and a lawyer will contact you within 24hrs. Don’t worry about their charges, Its only $1/day. So you are getting what you want in just $1. I think this you can afford. Here is the link

http://www.usalegalcare.com/Bankruptcy.htm
Good luck

I would like to start my own business and would like to take a look at a business plan that would target ceramics.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* Writing a Convincing Business Plan by Arthur R. DeThomas Ph.D., Lin Grensing-Pophal
* The Definitive Business Plan: The Fast Track to Intelligent Business Planning for Executives and Entrepreneurs (2nd Edition) by Richard Stutely
* The Complete Book of Business Plans: Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan (Small Business Sourcebooks) by Joseph A. Covello
* The One Page Business Plan with CD-ROM by James T., Jr. Horan

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

I am writing a childrens book, and 2 others are illistrating it. I would like to make up a business plan today and have no clue where to start, can you help?

I THINK what you are describing is a contract among three collaborators.

Even the simplest ones involve some pretty exacting language covering some complex issues. A good one would involve copyright issues, final selections and many other issues besides how credit and profits are shared.

I suggest you do some research at the Graphic Artist Guild website for more information. ( http://www.graphicartistsguild.org/ )

I am a teen looking to start several business but i desperatly need funding. How do i find business plan competitions specifically for teens.

Here are some of the ongoing business plan competitions:

Oxford University Business Plan Competition 2006
http://www.science-enterprise.ox.ac.uk/html/busplan_timetable.asp

USF International Business Plan Competition
http://www.usfca.edu/sobam/nvc/bpc/

Tech Valley Business Plan competition
http://www.techvalley.org/Pages/News%20_%20Events/Tech%20Valley%20News/1-24-2006.html

IBK Capital Ivey Business Plan competition
http://www.iveybpc.com/

International Business Plan Competition for Poverty Reduction and Profit
http://www.nextbillion.net/event/2006/02/07/bid-challenge-2006-the-international-business-plan-competition-for-poverty-reduction-and-profit

Rice University Business Plan competition
http://www.alliance.rice.edu/alliance/RBPC.asp

I am looking for avice on what is inlucded in a business plan and what investors are looking for. I have a great idea and need someone with website development skills to design me a site. I have the conten and ideas on how the site can make money but need to know how to write a business plan.

Hi,
You will find many designers who claim themselves as professionals but you have to be careful while selecting them. Check their work and refrences. I m into this business from last 7 years and provide consultancy. Below are few weblinks which i had developed for my client.

1. www.studentjobs.com.au
2. www.tobeconscious.com
3. www.hottinaughtibodi.com
4. www.callmecassie.com
5. www.babyage.com
4. www.studentnetwork.com…
6.www.hotelcapers.com

and many many more….

If interested we can talk more through yahoo messenger. My yahoo id is itrixtechnologies@yahoo.com

Regards,
Rickey

My potential business partner asks me to write a business plan. In the business plan, I am required to write how much money is required and what effect that each investment will bring about respectively. But I feel it is difficult to predict exactly what effect that each investment will bring about respectively, especially web site promotion. How can you predict it, especially you are facing a new field that almost no one has done it before?

Most people have two balls neither of which are crystal!
You should not be looking for predictions unless you business is fortune telling. Americans call it forward looking statements and we tend to say forecasts or estimates.
Estimates I feel is the better term.
If you are doing it for your own benefit it would best to be conservative, alternatively you could do two or three with different scenarios. Excel will come in handy here. A very succesful friend of mine said he always calculated his interest rate as 3x the current bank rate for his estimates. I am sure you understand the concept of discounting future money flow. No one can predict things like future orders but I am sure your partner will have his own ideas and will adjust your forecasts to his own. It is difficult,as you say to predict future statistics from websites (all you can do is go from historic data from your data logs, and it is difficult to get this sort of information from competitors. See Alexa rankings?However, as you know once you get visitors/sales the numbers can only go up if you keep developing the site as you have done in the past. Don’t skimp on the investment. If you are in a competitive environment you really need to "go large" with your injection of capital.
A website is a bit like mail order. There is a correlation to the number of orders to the funds invested.
But I am sure you know all this.
We hav just raised £2m for a local directory website. The company will be looking to raise much more money in 6 months time.
How much money/access to money has he? It may be better to tailor the money to the plan.