- Description
- Specifications
This paper analyses why small business operators should prepare a Business Plan.
The small business owner differs in a number of ways from the Managers of public companies or other types of organisations. These differences go some way to explain both the strengths and weaknesses of the smaller firm. Many small business operators want to get on with the job and not be bothered with "specialist" activities, such as:
- Management Planning
- Marketing
- Finance or Customer Relations
In their opinion, that is not why they are in business. However neglecting these important specialist activities can do more to erode the business' base then anything else. This paper analyses the benefits of planning for small business with suggestions as to where small business operators can get "quality time" so that they can undertake the planning required for business success and for maximising the business' performance.
The paper is presented under the headings:
- Small Business Owners - Are They Different?
- Owner's Involvement
- Generalists Not Specialists
- Lack Of Concern For "Specialist" Activities
- Wrong Priorities On Time
- Work "On The Business" Rather Than "In The Business"
- Quality Time
- Where Do You Get "Quality Time"?
- Small Business Failure
- Reasons For Business Failure
- Why Plan?
- The Business Plan
- Appoint A Facilitator
- Facilitator's Duties
- Preparation Of The Plan
- Performance Review
- Executive Summary
- Copies Of The Plan
- Key To Long Term Survival
The paper also contains two addendums:
- Preparing The Business Plan
- Using And Monitoring The Business Plan