Business Plan Development:

Finishing Touches
Prof. Alon Rozen
École des Ponts Business School
Finishing touches– elements to include
Cover page
Executive Summary
Table of contents (optional)
Conclusion (optional)
Professional formatting (not optional)
Annexes
Alon Rozen / BPD 2
Finishing touches = to do last!

§Cover page
§Table of contents
§Executive Summary
§Conclusion

Alon Rozen / BPD 3

Cover page
Business Plan
§Professional
NewCo Limited
§Sober
A new approach to using
§Personalized RFID on farms in China

§Dated Presented to: John Smith

Date: 22 February 2013

§Contact information Contact: Alon Rozen

rozen@enpcmbaparis.com

Confidential

Alon Rozen / BPD 4

Table of Contents (1 page only!)
§ 1-page only! – which
implies a simplified TOC
§ Over 1 page shows you
don’t understand the
essence of a b-plan =
short and to the point!
Alon Rozen / BPD
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary......................... 3
2. Concept ........................................... 4
3. Team ................................................ 8
4. Market ............................................ 10
5. Competition ................................... 15
6. Operations ..................................... 20
7. Financials ....................................... 23
8. Conclusions ................................... 30
9. Annex – Detailed Financials………. 31
10. Annex – Team Curriculum Vitae… 35
11. Annex – Supporting Documents...40
Confidential
5
Executive Summary (1 page only!)
§ One page summary of the bplan
§ Extremely professional Executive Summary
§ Not marketing, synthesis Concept …
§ Covers the key points of the The opportunity…
business plan in an interesting The market…
way.
The competition…
§ Feeling after reading it: I know We differentiate… (“special sauce”)
what I need to know to decide 1/ if
this is right for me and 2/ if I want The team is composed of…
to read more Financial highlights, ROI

§ Successful if: you get a follow-up We are now looking to… (call to action)
expression of interest
Alon Rozen / BPD 6
Executive Summary: example
XYZ Company will be the first organic Najmi sheep breeding farm in the Emirates and will sell
sheep both for meat and for breeding.
The sheep-for-meat market is estimated at $500M in the Gulf, while the sheep-for-breeding
market is estimated at $50M. With premium prices for both meat and studs, the Najmi Sheep
Farm will generate estimated revenues of $55M by year 3.
While sheep farming for meat is normally a relatively low-margin business, the organic market,
in general, and the Najmi breed, in particular, are both highly profitable. With an up-market
brand strategy and premium pricing, we generate an estimated 35% net margin by year 5.
Margins for breeding are extremely high, ~75% (!), and will rise even further as the brand
equity rises.
One of the founders has 20 years experience in sheep farming and comes from the family of
the second largest sheep farmers in the UAE. Other members of the founding team include a
marketing specialist and a veterinarian.
We are now looking for $10 million to purchase the farmland (10 acres), build the farm facility
and purchase 20 Najmi ewes and 2 Najmi stud sheep.
Alon Rozen / BPD 7
Executive Summary: Style
§ One page
§ Concise and factual writing
§ Needs to be enticing… but it is not a pitch!
§ Assertive language (use “we will” not “we might”)
§ No more than a few numbers, and each is memorable!
§ NOT an introduction!!!
§ Very professional: language, spelling, content & format all
need to be impeccable!

Alon Rozen / BPD 8

Executive Summary: Not an introduction!
§An ExecSumm is not an introduction!
§In this business plan we will see…
§We decided to do this because…
§Then the market will be presented as well as the…
§So let’s see what this business is…
§Note: NO Exec. Summary in a Bplan presentation!
Alon Rozen / BPD 9
Conclusion (1 page, optional) – before Annex
“We have performed rigorous analysis to prepare this business plan and the
business appears viable under all realistic scenarios.
Our concept of xxxxx is based on xxxx. With an experienced team, we plan to be
a $xx million business within xxx years, in a market estimated at $xxx million.
Based on our analysis, our concept differentiates itself from competitors in terms
of xxxxx.
Our strategy of xxxx and then expanding to xxxx allows us to achieve xxxx while
xxxx.
The primary risks we have identified, notably xxxx, can be managed or turned
into an opportunity by xxxxx.
Our financial projections show high margins of xxxxx and a potential return on
investment of xxxx.”
The next step is to xxxxx in order to xxxxx.
Alon Rozen / BPD 10
Annexes
§ Purpose is to provide proof of traction, support, additional
information that would otherwise make “flow” difficult
§ Often includes :
oFounder, Manager and “Key man” CVs
oFull Financial Statements (now often ”available upon request”)
oDetailed competitive analysis
oPhotos/drawings/diagrams
oLetters of intent, MOUs, contracts,price quotes, rental
agreements, orders, etc.
§Today: trend is towards a “light” annex (only CVs)
oEverything else listed with “Available upon request”
Alon Rozen / BPD 11
Tips
§ Remember a b-plan is an act of explanation and persuasion!
§ Executive Summary = the 1st impression (but not an ad!)
§ Think carefully about what to include or exclude
§ Shorter is better, visual is better, simpler is better!
§ The BPlan will change often – so update the ExecSumm
and save each change as a new version
§ Remember the objective: show you are serious planners,
credible project leaders in order to obtain the right to have
discussions with serious investors/partners!
Alon Rozen / BPD 12
A business plan is not about B-plan

creating a “perfect” document.

It is (just) the visible part of the The work

iceberg in the business

planning process…

Alon Rozen, Ecole des Ponts Business School 13