Business Plans Handbook, Volume 2: A Compilation of Actual Business Plans Developed By Small Businesses Throughout North America

560 Pages·1995·6.14 MB·English

by  Kristin Kahrs

Business
Plans
Handbook
Highlights
Business Plans Handbook, Volume II (BPH II) is a collection of actual business plans compiled by entrepreneurs seeking
funding for small businesses throughout North America. For those looking for examples of how to approach, structure, and
compose their own business plans, BPH II presents 26 sample plans, including those for the following businesses:
Kennel Newsletter
Microbrewery Public Relations Firm
Talking Photo Frame Manufacturer Online Search and Retrieval Firm
Automobile Assembler Virtual Shopping Kiosk
Mobile Photo Studio Sports Collectibles Producer
Freelance Editor Restaurant
Delicatessen Franchise Film and Video Producer
OTHER FEATURES
BPH II also provides additional resources for the business owner in need of guidance or the entrepreneur preparing to research
and compose their business plan, including:
•A Business Plan Template providing all of the essential elements of a plan.
Also in this section are two fictional business plans used by small business
counselors as examples for their clients.
•An expanded directory section. Organizations, Agencies, & Consultants
provides a listing of associations and consultants of interest to entrepre-
neurs, in addition to the 10 Small Business Administration Regional Offices
and all of the Small Business Development Centers. These valuable re-
sources can provide you with informative materials, offer business counsel-
ing and support, and give you a place to begin networking with other
business owners and contacts.
•A Glossary of Small Business Terms providing insight into the often
confusing lingo of entrepreneurship.
•An expanded Bibliography of materials for further study and sources for
research.
•Expanded coverage of financial information. Business plans in BPH II
contains more financial data, including Cash Flows, Balance Sheets, Income
Statements, and more.
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Business
A COMPILATION
Plans
OF ACTUAL
BUSINESS PLANS
DEVELOPED BY
SMALL BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT
NORTH
Handbook
AMERICA
VOLUME
2
Kristin Kahrs,
Editor
Gale Research
An ITP Information/Reference Group Company
Changing the Way the World Learns
NEW YORK • LONDON • BONN • BOSTON • DETROIT
MADRID • MELBOURNE • MEXICO CITY • PARIS
SINGAPORE • TOKYO • TORONTO • WASHINGTON
ALBANY NY • BELMONT CA • CINCINNATI OH
Editor: Kristin Kahrs
Contributing Editors: Karin E. Koek, Susan B. Martin, Jennifer Arnold Mast, Holly M. Selden
Associate Editors: Kelly Hill, Eva M. Felts
Managing Editor: Deborah M. Burek
Contributors: Jodie S. Jaworski, Amy Lynn Park, Angela Shupe, Deborah J. Untener
Production Director: Mary Beth Trimper
Assistant Production Manager: Evi Seoud
Production Associate: Deborah Milliken
Art Director: Cynthia Baldwin
Graphic Services: CJ Jonik
Data Entry Manager: Benita L. Spight
Data Entry Coordinator. Gwendolyn Tucker
Data Entry Associate: Lysandra Davis
While every effort has been made to ensure the reliability of the information presented in this publication,
Gale Research does not guarantee the accuracy of the data contained herein. Gate accepts no payment
for listing; and inclusion in the publication of any organization, agency, database product, publication,
or individual does not imply endorsement by the editor or publisher.
Errors brought to the attention of the publisher and verified to the satisfaction of the publisher will be
corrected in future editions.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
This publication is a creative work fully protected by all applicable copyright laws, as well as by
misappropriation, trade secret, unfair competition, and other applicable laws. The authors and editors
of this work have added value to the underlying factual material herein through one or more of the following:
unique and original selection, coordination, expression, arrangement, and classification of the informa-
tion.
All rights to this publication will be vigorously defended.
Copyright © 1996
Gale Research
835 Penobscot Bldg.
Detroit, Ml 48226-4094
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
ISBN 0-8103-9395-6
ISSN 1084-4473
Printed in the United States of America
Gale Research Inc., an International Thomson Publishing Company.
ITP logo is a trademark under license.
Contents
Highlights ii
Introduction vii
Automobile Assembly
Dream Cars 3
Freelance Editor
The Scrivener 11
Word for Word 37
Kennel
Best Friend Kennels 45
Maternity Aid
Nest in Comfort 67
Media Producer
Dynamic Video 81
Dynamic Video (Revised) 107
Shalimar Films, Ltd 123
Microbrewery
Harbor Brewing Company 139
Juniper Brewing Company 163
Mobile Studio
CRS Mobile Studio 175
Newsletter
Network Journal 185
Network Journal (Revised) 201
Photo Framing
Talking Photo Technology 211
Public Relations Firm
SHP & Associates Business Communications 245
Restaurant/Bar
The Plugged Nickel Bar 263
The Watering Hole 271
Restaurant Franchise
Stephenson's, Inc., dba Reuben's Deli 277
Restaurant (Nonprofit)
McMurphy's Grill 289
McMurphy's Grill (Revised) 319
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Search Service
The Searchers 329
Sports Collectibles
The Diamond Connection, Inc. et al 347
Television Childproofer
Television for Kids 359
Virtual Shopping
Click n' Shop Inc 385
Business Plan Template....... 409
Food Distributor
Commercial Foods, Inc 417
Hardware Store
Oshkosh Hardware, Inc 421
Organizations, Agencies, & Consultants 431
Glossary of Small Business Terms 531
Bibliography 553
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Introduction
NEW TO THIS VOLUME
When we began compiling the second volume of Business Plans Handbook, we sought the advice of those who had
used the first volume to help improve this new collection of plans.
In addition to 24 genuine business plans (including one reprinted from the first volume), BPH II also includes several
examples of revised business plans. With the increased emphasis on strategizing and pre-planning, many business
owners are finding it helpful to revise their business plans to consider different conditions than the original plan assumed.
For instance, entrepreneurs may revise their plans to include new approaches to changing economic conditions, new or
departing personnel and subsequent job re-definitions, expansion plans, or others factors that result in a significant
strategy alteration. In short, revised plans often recognize that even the best laid plans can be foiled by the real world. To
this end, three sets of business plans in this volume are examples of "before and after" business planning. They are the
Newsletter, Media Production, and Restaurant (Nonprofit) plans. (The original restaurant plan is reprinted from the first
volume alongside its revision for comparison purposes.) Look for changes in operations and perspective, celebrations of
success, adjustments in goals, and re-dedication to the business as themes in these revised plans.
The second volume, like the first, offers genuine business plans used by real people. BPH II provides 24 business plans
used by actual entrepreneurs to gain funding support for their new businesses. Only the business and personal names
have been changed to protect the privacy of the plan authors.
In accordance with feedback from users of our first volume, we have also expanded the coverage of small business
resources. For instance, you will find: an enlarged directory section, which, in addition to listing all of the Small Business
Development Centers (SBDCs), now includes entries for associations of interest to entrepreneurs and hundreds of
consultants, listed geographically, who specialize in small business advice and planning; enhanced coverage of print
business resources in the bibliography with the inclusion of periodicals; the addition of an Appendix containing a
business plan template, which provides a comprehensive overview of the essential components of a business plan, and
two fictional plans used by small business counselors; and improved inclusion of the financial data usually presented in
conjunction with a business plan, such as Income and other Projections, Cash Flows, Balance Sheets, and other financial
statements often requested by lenders.
Finally, in BPH II you will find a slightly revised page layout that accommodates more text per page and gives us more
room to include financial tables, while still keeping the book to one compact volume.
If you already have the first volume of BPH, with this second volume you will now have a collection of 56 real business
plans (not including one reprinted in the second volume from the first or the two fictional plans in the second), contact
information for hundreds of organizations and agencies offering business expertise, a helpful business plan template, a
foreword providing new planners with advice and instruction on how to begin their research, more than 400 citations to
valuable small business development material, and a comprehensive glossary of terms to help the business planner
navigate the sometimes confusing language of entrepreneurship.
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FEATURES AND BENEFITS
BPH II offers many features not provided by other business planning references including:
Twenty-four business plans, providing examples of what entrepreneurs in your situation have done. Each of these real
business plans represents an owner's successful attempt at clarifying (for themselves and others) the reasons that the
business should exist or expand and why a lender to should fund the enterprise.
Two fictional plans that are used by business counselors at a prominent small business development organization as
examples for their clients. (You will find these in the Business Plan Template Appendix.)
An expanded directory section that includes listings for all Small Business Development Centers with full contact
information, including phone, fax, and contact names. In addition, this Appendix also contains a section listing
associations of interest to entrepreneurs; Small Business Administration (SBA) Regional Offices; and consultants able
to provide valuable advice on the business planning process. It is strongly advised that you consult supporting
organizations while planning your business as they can provide a wealth of useful information.
A Glossary of Small Business Terms to help you decipher the sometimes confusing terminology used by lenders and
others in the financial and small business communities.
An expanded bibliography, citing sources for easy follow-up and further reading. It now lists periodicals as well as
books.
A Business Plan Template providing a model to help you construct your own business plan. This generic outline lists
all the essential elements of a complete business plan and their components, including The Summary, Business History
and Industry Outlook, Market Examination, Competition, Marketing, Administration and Management, Financial Infor-
mation, and other key sections. Use this guide as a starting point for compiling your plan. Also in this section are two
fictional plans used as examples by professional business counselors.
More of the financial documents that accompany a good business plan. You will find more tabular data, such as Cash
Flows, Balance Sheets, Income Projections, and other financial information included with the textual portions of the
plan.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Editor wishes to thank all of the members of the Small Business Resources and Technology team, especially Kelly
Hill, Karin E. Koek, Susan B. Martin, Jennifer Arnold Mast, and Holly M. Selden, all of whom contributed to this project
in unique and valuable ways.
Thanks are also in order for the many contributors to BPH II, a number of whom have very good timing and whose
business plans will serve as examples to future generations of entrepreneurs; the users of the title who called with their
helpful suggestions; and Tim Dixon, of the Edward Lowe Foundation, who provided valuable commentary and insight:
Your help was greatly appreciated.
viii Gale Research Inc.
COMMENTS WELCOME
Your comments on BPH II are welcome. Please direct all correspondence, suggestions for future volumes of BPH, and
other recommendations to the following:
Business Plans Handbook II
Gale Research
835 Penobscot Bldg.
Detroit MI 48226-4094
Phone: [phone]
Fax:[phone]
Toll-Free: 800-347-GALE
Telex: 810221 7087
E-mail: [email protected]@galesmtp
Kristin Kahrs
ix
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