BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan ChecklistGeneric Example

Business 290

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Table of Contents Executive Summary Strategic Thinking Summary Strategy Map Pivot (s) Business Environment Product or Service Competitors Customers / Markets Marketing & Sales Operations Compliance Financing, Accounting, & Budgeting Management & Staffing Risk Factors References Appendices

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Executive Summary

The Executive summary should include an overview of the business proposition. At a minimum it should include:

1. The Business Opportunity

2. The Value Proposition

3. The Business Model

4. Pivot

5. Risk Factors

6. Vision Statement

7. Mission Statement

8. Strategic Themes

9. Assumption Testing & Planning

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Strategic Thinking Summary

1. Strategic Thinking1. Domain Knowledge: Asking the Right Questions

2. Framing: Context-Switching / Re-Framing

3. Intuition: Pattern Recognition – Cues & Clues

4. Sensemaking: Connecting the Dots / Cause & Effect

2. Strategic Priorities / Themes

3. Strategic Programs (Strategic Actions)

4. Strategic Projects

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Strategy Map

1. Strategy Alignment

2. Translating Strategy to Execute

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business PlanPrimary Sections

Business Environment

1. Discuss the current environment.

2. What is the market demand?

3. Has it changed or is it changing?

4. Is the environment ready for the product or service?

5. Where in the cycle is the current business environment? -- Premature, early stage, emerging stage, mature

stage, or declining stage?

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Product or Service

1. Include a detailed description of the product or service.

2. Differentiating features or benefits (similar to a specs chart)?

3. Value proposition

4. What Customer problem is being solved?

5. Is there a development period?

6. Are there risks associated with development?

7. Discuss pricing.

8. Discuss distribution.

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Competitor(s)

1. Who are the direct competitors?

2. Perform a competitive analysis.

3. SWOT analysis.

4. Emerging competitors?

5. Are there adjacent competitors?

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Customers / Markets

1. What problem are you Solving?

2. What is the market need? Why?

3. Who are the target customers / market(s)?

4. Are there other customers / market(s)?

5. What is the size of the market(s)?

6. Where are the customers located?

7. Are there logical market segments?

8. Are there adoption issues? Timing? Credibility?

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Marketing & Sales

1. Are there any Barriers-to-Entry into the markets?

2. What is your Marcomm plan; PR, Ads, other?

3. What is your “Go-to-Market” plan? (Gain traction)1. Timing? Geographic? Customers?

2. Approach: design-in, anchor-hub…?

4. Develop a market share capture plan or concept?

5. Pricing model

6. Channels or methods of distribution?

7. Branding required?

8. Customer support requirements? Warranties?

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Operations

1. Special capabilities to produce?

2. Partnering requirements?

3. Research or Development requirements?

4. Internal process knowledge requirements?

5. Core competencies?

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Compliance

1. Proprietary knowledge requirements?

2. Intellectual property concerns?

3. Government or Agency compliance?1. EPA

2. UL / EC

3. FDA

4. Taxing authorities?

5. Industry compliance?

6. International compliance?

7. Labor? Unions? Insurance?

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Financing, Accounting, & Budgeting

1. Ownership & structure: (Corporation, partnership…)

2. Financing/Funding plan – Capitalization Table

3. Business Model

4. Projected Cash Flow

5. Projected Profit & Loss Statements

6. Projected Balance Sheets

7. Break-even calculation

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Management & Staffing

1. Organization culture – values - principles - leadership

2. Operating Metrics – more than financial 1. Customer Metrics

2. Quality Metrics

3. Employee Metrics

3. Headcount / Staff mix – Organization Chart

4. Special skill-sets required?

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

Risk Factors

1. Market risk

2. Development risk

3. Production risk

4. Compliance or legal risk

5. Financial risk

6. Staffing risk

BUS 290 - Okumoto

Business Plan Primary Sections

References & Citations

APA Format – 6th Edition