Posted: April 13th, 2015

Business Plans: Studying Samples and Selecting the Best

13.4 – Business Plans: Studying Samples and Selecting the Best (p. 494)

The actual assignment is a variation (described below) on the description provided in the exercise. You can write the memo to Teresa or a venture capitalist group.

THIS REPORT IS BETWEEN 2-3 PAGES.

As a member of a group of venture capitalists with money to invest in start-up companies, you must make a choice. Assume your group will be receiving three business plan proposals. The instructor is the audience.

Your Task: Visit either Bplans.com at http://www.bplans.com or the Small Business Administration site at http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/. Search for sample business plans. Browse the list and select three business plans to study. Analyze all parts of each plan. Then, select one that you will recommend for funding. Prepare a 2-3 page memo to your investor group explaining why you think this start-up business will succeed. Also, comment in one paragraph on the organization, format, and writing style of the business plan. What are its strengths and weaknesses?

The memo begins with the common introduction material:

Date:

To:

From:

Subject:

Your memo content will start out with an introduction, citing the three companies you’ve analyze. The majority of your memo will describe the organization you’ll recommend to the investor group. In the intro/second paragraph, cite the three companies with a comment about the other two, and leave the one you’ll recommend at the end of this paragraph. In the rest of the memo, you’ll describe the organization you’re recommending. Again, use numbers, bullets, tables, graphs, etc., and you can copy and paste them into the report.

Remember the difference between a conclusion and a recommendation. Ending paragraph(s) of your report is titled: Conclusion and Recommendation. Make sure you summarize (conclusion) and recommend the organization you’re suggesting to the investor group.

Also, I’ve included a Business Plan example in Course Materials.