Business Plan - Company Description

This element of the business plan is the best place to begin. This is where you can really put on paper your vision, dreams, and goals and lay the ground work for the rest of the plan. This is where you start getting excited...where I start getting excited :) So what do you write?

You are starting your own business, so you must have some creativity. Tap into this a write a story. The very first words a potential investor reads in your business plan should grab their attention. The key, is making them want to read more, and ultimately, your entire plan. This section should be about two, or so, paragraphs. Short and sweet. Here is what I have prepared:

Local area residents have seen it before. It’s the place they met with friends, brought their kids to enjoy a special treat, or for local middle and high schoolers to hang out after school. Calming, green walls were adorned with elaborate golden frames holding the hand-painted images of fruit on a tree, or simply as transcribed from still life. The deli case is filled with delectable desserts, irresistible to customers young and old, choosing from the fluffy carrot cake with orange cream cheese icing or the oversized cupcakes topped with chocolate ganache. On a steamy summer day, one couldn’t pass up the refreshing Lemon Freeze Smoothie, blended with rainbow sherbet and homemade lemonade, and a splash of strawberry syrup. The menu favorite, Tomato & Mozzarella Paninni, satisfied the taste buds of hundreds. Each dish was accompanied by a glass of freshly brewed iced tea and completed with a creamy, hand-steamed cappuccino. Whatever the joy, customers will find it at the The Café.

After the initial decription, the following components are included in a little more detail:

• Overview - Pretty much what the description above is but not so creative. More like a paragraph or two of descriptive info about your place. This is where you describe the type of place you are opening, type of food and beverage and any other details that will make your place unique.
• Operating hours and staffing - How many days will you be open and for how many hours? You may want to talk about how many managers you want to have, staff memebers, and anyone else you'll likely add to payroll.
• Menu Items - Run wild here. Develop your menu as much as possible, from beverages to full meals and sides to desserts. Once you have this established, it will help you with the rest of the plan on multiple levels, such as food costing and relating to your target market.

I won't give away the whole plan just yet. But stay tuned for the next section (my fav.) the marketing plan!