Business plan. Where do I start?

Good question.

Your first step would be to do a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.

Strengths: What are some of the strategic advantages of your business? Strengths could include an established customer base, production efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and others.

Weaknesses: What are some of the strategic disadvantages of your business? Many small businesses lack economies of scale. Also, your geographical scope could be limited.

Opportunities: Ways you can grow your business. Could include things like expanding into new markets or creating new designs.

“Threats:” Things that could hurt your business. Could include things like wars, recessions, natural disaster, and competitors.

Once you have a SWOT analysis done, you will have a better idea of (1) whether it is worth it for you to open the business in the first place, (2) whether there is anything you can do to take use your strengths to take advantage of opportunities, and (3) whether there is anything you can do to shore up your weaknesses or plan for threats.

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis

Hope this helps.

The best place to start is with the Small Business Administration business plan template

Contact the local SCORE organization, they are retired business people that will walk you the steps to put together a business plan. Here’s their website

Good advice above. Check out other successful business plans here.

Put some time into authoring a concise one sentence mission statement. Something that rolls off the tongue easily enough that when asked in public, you can quickly recite it in person, face to face, with a smile, looking directly into the eyes of the one who asks.

I suggest you go to your local library and check out various books on how to write a plan. Most books will divide the plan into various sections. Take each of the sections and do your research pertaining to your idea and complete them. If you do this you will fullfill the function of the business plan, which is to conduct research and answer questions vital to it’s sucess, indipendent of your feelings.

SCORE and the SBA offer a lot of great free services and classes for people who want to start a small business. You will need to have a written business plan if you’re going to need to obtain any sort of business financing. SCORE in your area may be able to connect you with someone who has experience in printing or marketing in your area.

Good luck!

Thank you all! This really helps.

Look on the Web and find a business plan template.

You need to define your target market (who you will sell your product to—the end customer), your lines of distribution (how you will reach the customer), describe your product, describe your growth plan, etc.