Posted by 101livescan on 4/28/13 9:46pm
Msg #467589

Business Planning

I just finished helping my sister with her Business Plan. She was granted $2600 to take a business plan course with a group of other women business owners, where she prepared her business expansion plan. I helped her with a lot of it, and she has just completed it. It was an amazing process, and she now has all the tools to go to her bank and apply for an SBA loan for the expansion costs.

It's interesting because 30 years ago, a single mom, her son, Justin was a toddler, her dearest friend gave her space in her herb shop to begin her facial business in a room that was the size of a walkin closet, RENT FREE for the first year, and Candice had no business plan, but her business grew and prospered for many years. She just wants it to grow beyond its current size and revenue.

So I have all the ingredients of this business plan. I know that SCORE offers one too. I thought that the one my sister used was great and so did she when we compared the two.

So if any of you are brave enough to attempt to write a business plan for your signing agent business, I have the template and am happy to share it. I thought it was very thorough. The excel templates were interesting. By the time we completed it, not one element of the business was overlooked.

Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 4/29/13 7:44am
Msg #467608

SCORE mentor

I am working on my business plan right now with a SCORE mentor. We are not working with the template on the website. One of the mentors developed a much better one. I urge everyone to check out SCORE. It's a free service.

Reply by Treasure Valley Notary - Tina on 4/29/13 9:18am
Msg #467621

Everyone needs a Business Plan!

SCORE is awesome! And anyone in business NEEDS to have a business plan. At least if they plan on staying in business. It is your road map to what you are doing and why. Most people spend more time planning out their next vacation vs where they are going in their business. Very sad.

Having a business plan also puts into perspective your real expenses. In all honesty when people come on this board asking how much to charge or how to build their business this should be the only answer they are given. If they are asking these questions then they have not done their homework and it is the first place to start.

Reply by sueharke on 4/29/13 11:24am
Msg #467642

Re: SCORE mentor

Absolutely go to SCORE...I keep suggesting people with new businesses who ask me to help him or her setup a business to go there and the SBA classes. Most of the time I get the answer of "I don't have the time because I have to work." I guess working smarter, not harder, is not on some new business owners agenda.

Reply by KarenVentura on 4/29/13 11:38am
Msg #467649

I would the templates!
thanks