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The format of a Business Plan is something that has been
developed and refined over the years and is something that should
not be changed. Like a good recipe, a business plan needs to
include certain ingredients to make it work.

When you create a business plan, don’t attempt to recreate its
format. Those reviewing this type of document have expectations
you must meet. If they do not see those crucial decision-making
components, they’ll see no reason to proceed with their review of
your business plan, no matter how great your business idea.

Executive Summary Section

Every business plan must begin with an Executive Summary section.
A well-written Executive Summary is critical to the success of
the rest of the document. Here is where you need to capture the
attention of your audience so that they will be compelled to read
on. Remember, it’s a summary, so each and every word must be
carefully selected and presented.

Use the Executive Summary section of your business plan to
accurately describe the nature of your business venture including
the need that you plan to fill. Show the reasons why people need
your product or service. Show this by including a brief analysis
of the characteristics of your potential market.

Describe the organization of your business including your
management team. Also, briefly describe your sales and marketing
plan or approach. Finally include the numbers that those
reviewing your business plan want to see – the amount of capital
you seek, the carefully calculated sales projections and your
plan to repay the loan.

If you’ve captured your audience so far they’ll read on.
Otherwise, they’ll close the document and add your business plan
to the heap of other rejected ideas.

Devote the balance of your business plan to providing details of
the items outlined in the Executive Summary.

The Business Section

Be sure to include the legal name, physical address and detailed
description of the nature of your business. It’s important to
keep the description easy to read using common terminology. Never
assume that those reading your business plan have the same level
of technical knowledge that you do. Describe how you plan to
better serve your market than your competition is currently
doing.

Market Analysis Section

An analysis of the market shows that you have done your homework.
This section is basically a summary of your Marketing Plan. It
needs to show the demand for your product or service, the
proposed market, trends within the industry, a description of
your pricing plan and packaging and a description of your company
policies.

Financing Section

The Financing section must show that you are as committed to your
business venture as you expect those reading your business plan
to be. Show the amount of personal funds you are contributing and
their source. Also include the amount of capital you need and
your plan to repay this debt. Include all pertinent financial
worksheets in this section: annual income projections, a
break-even worksheet, projected cash flow statements and a
balance sheet.

Management Section

Outline your organizational structure and management team here.
Include the legal structure of your business whether it is a
partnership, corporation or limited liability corporation.
Include resumes and biographies of key players on your management
team. Show staffing projection data for the next few years.

By now you’re probably thinking that you don’t need Business Plan
just yet. Well you do, and there is business plan building
software that can help you through this immense project. These
software packages are easy to use and affordable. Use one today
and produce a professional-quality Business Plan – including all
critical components – tomorrow!

Copyright © 2004 Cavyl Stewart. Get more software tips, strategies and recommendations to help you create your business plan by signing up for my Exclusive 100% free, 100% original content ecourse: “How To Failure-Proof Your Business Instantly.” To sign up please visit: http://www.find-small-business-software.com/bizplan-ecourse.html

photo credit: Korean Resource Center ????

Are you a small business owner who’s frustrated about taxes? You face a mind-boggling array of choices when it comes to figuring out what is and is not deductible on your income tax return each year. And just when you think you’ve got this tax system figured out, new laws are passed and it feels like you’ve got to start all over.

Perhaps the best place to begin this journey is the income tax return itself. Depending on what type of entity you own, here are the main income tax forms: Schedule C (sole proprietorship), Form 1065 (partnership), Form 1120 (C corporation), and Form 1120S (S Corporation). Note: If you own a limited liability company (LLC), you’ll use one of those four forms, depending on how you choose to be treated for tax purposes. These tax forms are an excellent way to begin the process of answering the question: What’s deductible?

Notice that on each of these forms, there may only be 15 or 20 specific expense categories, or line items, to help you know what to deduct. For example, on Schedule C, starting with line 8, you have advertising, car and truck expenses, commissions and fees, depreciation and section 179 expense, and so forth.

This list continues to line 26, wages. And that’s it. Only 19 expense categories. Are those the only 19 deductions you can take for your sole proprietorship?

Or how about Form 1120S. The expense section starts with line 7, compensation of officers, and continues on to line 18, employee benefit programs. And again, that’s it. Only 12 expense categories. Obviously there must be more than 12 deductions you can write off for your S corporation.

So if you’re thinking, “These tax forms give me only a handful of deductions to identify, but fall short of providing a comprehensive list”, you are correct. So what do you do now?

All the above-listed business income tax returns include a line called “Other expenses” or “Other deductions”. On Schedule C, it’s line 27. On Form 1120S, it’s line 19. On Form 1120, it’s line 26. And on Form 1065, it’s line 20. This is where you get to report all the other deductions that are not specifically mentioned on the previous lines. You simply attach a separate statement that itemizes the remaining business deductions. Then add up all those other deductions and transfer the total from the attached list to the main part of the tax return.

This “other deductions” list can be as long as you need it to be. There are dozens (even hundreds) of legitimate deductions for your business that the IRS didn’t think necessary to include on the main page of the tax return. And now it’s up to you to find out what they are.

There are plenty of good resources to help you compile that list of bona fide deductions. The IRS website has many free publications that explain deductions, depending on your entity: Publication 334 (sole proprietorship), Publication 542 (C corporation), Publication 541 (partnership). For S corporations, there is no separate publication, so start with the Form 1120S instructions.

Admittedly, IRS publications are not known for readability or comprehensiveness. So if you are serious about finding out what you can deduct, do yourself a favor and spend $15 or $20 on a few well-written books about small business tax deductions. Here are three of my favorites: “422 Tax Deductions for Businesses & Self-Employed Individuals” by Bernard B. Kamoroff, “Small Business Taxes Made Easy: Increase Your Deductions, Reduce What You Owe, and Boost Your Profits” by Eva Rosenberg, and “Lower Your Taxes Big Time” by Sandy Botkin.

Looking for more small business tax tips? For a free copy of the 25-page Special Report “How to Instantly Double Your Deductions” visit http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com. Wayne M. Davies is author of 3 ebooks on tax reduction strategies for small business owners and the self-employed.

photo credit: Pop!Tech

Starting a small business is not too difficult. One area that you can start a business is in the finance industry. Perhaps you are a finance guru in hiding and you need to let the world know about it so that you can help them in some way.

One way to really help people is to help them repair their credit. There are a lot of individuals with credit issues who need help. They are looking at doing things such as bankruptcy and we all know that bankruptcy can cause people to not be able to acquire credit for many years to come.

So what you need to do is help people repair their credit. You can assess their income, their expenses, and tell them where it is they can cut corners and fix their credit. Fixing credit takes money, so that means a person has to budget so that they know where to take the money from. Many people can’t do this on their own. They need a little help and you can help them.

What you need to do to make people know about you is create a website and make sure that website has a lot of content about finance, credit repair, and budgeting. If you have information, people are going to come back again and again.

After you have your website and its content up, you then need to market the website. You can create social networking pages for your site, you can talk on forums about it, join email groups, buy ad space, do pay per click ad campaigns, and so much more. There is just so much you can do and because of that, you need to go for it.

If you need money now, like I mean in the next hour, try what I did. I am making more money now than in my old business and you can too, read the amazing, true story, in the link below. When I joined I was skeptical for just ten seconds before I realized what this was. I was smiling from ear to ear and you will too.

Imagine doubling your money every week with no or little risk! To discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click the link below to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars at the easy corporate money program.

Quickest-way-to-make-money-on-earth.com

photo credit: stevendepolo

Business grants were originally created by federal and local governments to provide financial assistance to entrepreneurs and business owners. The goal was and still is to help stimulate the national and local economy, and to help fund research that will help a certain industry. In more recent years, non-profit organizations and major corporations began to give out business grants. They had similar goals, but also found that giving away grant money is great for public relations and is a great tax write-off.

For nearly 100 years now, business grants have helped thousands of individuals across the country either start or expand an existing business. Some business grants have even provided free tools and services (software, hardware, consulting, coaching, etc) to underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged women who want to start businesses.

Many are concerned though that a bad economy might lead to the end of business grants. They reason that companies will no longer be able to afford to give money away, and that government agencies will reallocate funds to more needy issues. That reasoning, however, is mostly false.

The good thing about business grants is that, unlike business loans, they will never go out of style. Remember that business loans are given by greedy companies looking to make a profit. Business grants, on the other hand, are given as charitable gifts. Their availability is not as dependent on the economy, and because they never have to be repaid – they don’t and never did pose any risk to the grantor. Even more, business grants are great tax write-offs for major corporations – even if they are doing bad financially. Granted, some companies will reduce the amount of grants that they give out – but they generally won’t terminate the program completely.

Government agencies too may reallocate some of the funds that normally were for business grants, but their business grant programs will always exist. This is because local and federal government officials realize that small businesses drive the economy and create jobs. They would dare not destroy programs that can help small businesses thrive – especially during a recession.

Therefore, don’t give up in your search for the business grant that is right for you. They are still out there, and many entrepreneurs are receiving such assistance every single year. To find relevant opportunities, remember to check the web sites of all major companies and smaller companies. You also want to check with your local city, county, and state government offices.

The National Institute of Business Grants ( http://www.Business-Grants.com) provides free tips and secrets on how to obtain business grants.