1. Business Plan Checklist Generic Example Business 290
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2. 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 Okumoto

3. Business Plan Primary Sections
Executive Summary
The Executive summary should include an overview of the business proposition. At a minimum it should include:
The Business Opportunity
The Value Proposition
The Business Model
Pivot
Risk Factors
Vision Statement
Mission Statement
Strategic Themes
Assumption Testing & Planning
BUS Okumoto

4. Business Plan Primary Sections
Strategic Thinking Summary
Strategic Thinking
Domain Knowledge: Asking the Right Questions
Framing: Context-Switching / Re-Framing
Intuition: Pattern Recognition – Cues & Clues
Sensemaking: Connecting the Dots / Cause & Effect
Strategic Priorities / Themes
Strategic Programs (Strategic Actions)
Strategic Projects
BUS Okumoto

5. Business Plan Primary Sections
Strategy Map
Strategy Alignment
Translating Strategy to Execute
BUS Okumoto

6. Business Plan Primary Sections
Business Environment
Discuss the current environment.
What is the market demand?
Has it changed or is it changing?
Is the environment ready for the product or service?
Where in the cycle is the current business environment? Premature, early stage, emerging stage, mature stage, or declining stage?
BUS Okumoto

7. Business Plan Primary Sections
Product or Service
Include a detailed description of the product or service.
Differentiating features or benefits (similar to a specs chart)?
Value proposition
What Customer problem is being solved?
Is there a development period?
Are there risks associated with development?
Discuss pricing.
Discuss distribution.
BUS Okumoto

8. Business Plan Primary Sections
Competitor(s)
Who are the direct competitors?
Perform a competitive analysis.
SWOT analysis.
Emerging competitors?
Are there adjacent competitors?
BUS Okumoto

9. Business Plan Primary Sections
Customers / Markets
What problem are you Solving?
What is the market need? Why?
Who are the target customers / market(s)?
Are there other customers / market(s)?
What is the size of the market(s)?
Where are the customers located?
Are there logical market segments?
Are there adoption issues? Timing? Credibility?
BUS Okumoto

10. Business Plan Primary Sections
Marketing & Sales
Are there any Barriers-to-Entry into the markets?
What is your Marcomm plan; PR, Ads, other?
What is your “Go-to-Market” plan? (Gain traction)
Timing? Geographic? Customers?
Approach: design-in, anchor-hub…?
Develop a market share capture plan or concept?
Pricing model
Channels or methods of distribution?
Branding required?
Customer support requirements? Warranties?
BUS Okumoto

11. Business Plan Primary Sections
Operations
Special capabilities to produce?
Partnering requirements?
Research or Development requirements?
Internal process knowledge requirements?
Core competencies?
BUS Okumoto

12. Business Plan Primary Sections
Compliance
Proprietary knowledge requirements?
Intellectual property concerns?
Government or Agency compliance?
EPA
UL / EC
FDA
Taxing authorities?
Industry compliance?
International compliance?
Labor? Unions? Insurance?
BUS Okumoto

13. Business Plan Primary Sections
Financing, Accounting, & Budgeting
Ownership & structure: (Corporation, partnership…)
Financing/Funding plan – Capitalization Table
Business Model
Projected Cash Flow
Projected Profit & Loss Statements
Projected Balance Sheets
Break-even calculation
BUS Okumoto

14. Business Plan Primary Sections
Management & Staffing
Organization culture – values - principles - leadership
Operating Metrics – more than financial
Customer Metrics
Quality Metrics
Employee Metrics
Headcount / Staff mix – Organization Chart
Special skill-sets required?
BUS Okumoto

15. Business Plan Primary Sections
Risk Factors
Market risk
Development risk
Production risk
Compliance or legal risk
Financial risk
Staffing risk
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16. Business Plan Primary Sections
References & Citations
APA Format – 6th Edition
BUS Okumoto