Business plans for small business owners
What we do for our clients
HM consulting creates plans for small to mid-sized businesses to help business owners increase the chances of success.
Each plan we create is focused on the needs and priorities of the owner.
Whether you are planning a new business or want to move your business to the next stage, our collaboration will create your plan to move things forward.
The purpose of business plans
Business plans should do the following essential things:
- Provide the owner with a clear understanding of the opportunity, commitments and risks for the planned venture
- Set out clear paths and plans of action to move to the next stage
- Give the reader clarity on the purpose and structure of the business, the value offered and what the owner requires.
The characteristics of a great business plan
There are many types of business plan. What sets the best ones apart are:
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1. Relevance
The plan describes the business and the environment it operates in, with the needs of the reader fuller considered
- Funders - what are my rewards and risks?
- Owners - what do I need to do to optimize success?
- Collaborators - where do I fit in to the needs of this business?
- Staff - what will this company be like to work for?
- Everyone - can I understand this business in a few minutes?
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2. Structure and clarity
Readers expect professionalism and don't want to read pages before they understand what the plan is about. Therefore:
- It presents a story - summarized first, then set out in clear sections. It shows why you and your team are able to turn a viable market offering into a profitable and sustainable business opportunity.
- These sections of this story must include:
- Exec summary - clarity of plan on one page
- Company description - The compelling idea, company details, team and progress made
- Business model - value offered, how that value is generated, the buyers and how they will be reached, and operations
- External environment - how the business understands and thrives in the competitive economy
- Implementation - what needs to be done in the short and longer term, the resources needed and critical goals
- Finances - Sales, cash flow (at a minimum), plus income statement and balance sheet
- Valuation and funding - the $ value of the company with evidence and the use of funds received
Each section is clearly referenced and consistent with other parts of the plan. Nothing new is introduced in the summary.
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3. Accuracy
Increase credibility by using the latest data and stating assumptions and unknowns. These can be referenced in the main sections and detailed in an appendix if necessary.
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4. Relatableness and Reusability
The owner must feel the plan is theirs, useful on a regular basis and can be easily updated as progress is made.
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5. Selling power
This is the wow factor - inspiring the reader to take positive action based on what they decided to read.
The purpose of business plans
Business plans should do the following essential things:
- Provide the owner with a clear understanding of the opportunity, commitments and risks for the planned venture
- Set out clear paths and plans of action to move to the next stage
- Give the reader clarity on the purpose and structure of the business, the value offered and what the owner requires.
The characteristics of a great business plan
There are many types of business plan. What sets the best ones apart are:
What about the business model canvas?
Is a business model canvas a great alternative to a business plan? No, but it definitely helps to complement one and is an incredible thinking and communication tool. We use the canvas in our Plan-in-a-week and Plan-in-a-month offerings.
There are few other tools that can describe the essence of a business on one page. The main distinction between an business plan and a canvas is that the canvas describes the business one moment in time, whereas the plan describes the journey to make the business model work.
Own your plan!
Depending on the stage of planning for your business, you will need different levels of help.
To create a plan for you, we have three distinct offerings for your business plan needs.
Plan-in-a-day is for early stage validation of a business idea. We'll chat and learn more about you, your business idea and your needs. Using our experience and resources, we'll create a short report with relevant data that will help you decide if the idea suits your needs.
Plan-in-a-week is for generating a viable business plan. Following discovery, we'll research your market in detail and present a clear model of the risks and rewards together with a clear action plan for success.
Plan-in-a-month is for building a detailed plan and getting started on the process of launch or expansion. It will provide a level of detail expected by more experienced investors as well as hands-on support for the owner.
Get Started!
Find out how easy it is to get started with your business plan.
If you prefer, we can help you choose which plan will work best for you.
Plan-in-a-day
For owners evaluating an early idea
Get evidence quickly
Save time and resources
Decide whether to proceed
Main features
- 5-6 page plan
- Outline market assessment
- Outline business model
- Outline financials
- Options for next steps
- Delivery in 2 business days
$800
Plan-in-a-week
For owners needing a business plan
Understand the market requirements
Determine investment needed
Create action plan for implementation
Main features
- 20-30 page plan
- Detailed business plan
- Business model canvas
- Cash flow statement
- Outline valuation
- Pitch deck and/or advisory
- Delivery in 1-2 weeks
From $3,500
Plan-in-a-month
For owners needing full support
Fully understand the opportunity
Understand business model options
Start working the plan
Main features
- Full plan
- Complete business model
- Financial model and statements
- Risk assessment
- Offering memorandum content
- Pitch deck
- Valuation guidance
- Detailed next steps
- Follow-up advisory
- Delivery in 4-6 weeks