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Business Plan: The Executive Summary
By Andrew Smith | June 30, 2009
Now, or in the near future do you need to secure serious business funding?
This may be from a bank, from investors or maybe from a well-heeled potential shareholder.
If the answer is yes then please read on.
Let’s start with the basics
I’m making the assumption that you have a Strategic Business Plan or an Internal Business Plan.
In other words, you are clear on the purpose and direction of the business. And you have a system of action plans or a roadmap to get you from where you are now, to where you want to be.
If you don’t have a good workable plan of this type, then this should be your first priority.
Elsewhere in this blog are articles on how to do this. If you are short of time, the simple 100 day plan might be an attractive option.
Back to getting the money
To persuade someone to invest or lend you money, you should prepare a document that investors call “An Information Memorandum”.
This is typically a 10 – to 30 page document that provides information on what the business is all about, the amount of money you are seeking and the risk/reward information needed for an investment or loan decision.
The very critical part
Most Information Memorandum documents are never fully read. Many are instantly dismissed. The reason for this is because the Executive Summary did not ‘hook’ the reader.
Financially successful people are usually busy people. They like business proposition to be presented to them in a clear and concise way.
If you can prepare an executive summary that instantly grabs an investors attention in the right way, you are well on your way to success.
It was my intention to provide you with a series of tips to help you achieve this. But here’s a much better way.
Frank Peters is a very experienced angle investor in Southern California. As well as his own personal angel investment experience, he gained a wealth of experience as Chairman of the much admired Tech Coast Angels http://www.techcoastangels.com/
On his website, Frank has published what he calls his irreverent Guidelines for Executive Summaries. http://www.thefrankpetersshow.com/attachments/ES.pdf
This is a gem – straight from the horse’s mouth. Follow this and you will be far ahead in the race.
Andrew Smith
The Business Plan Guy
Topics: Business Plan Tips & Ideas | 2 Comments »
July 15th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Love this – Frank’s PDF on Executive Summaries is pure gold for people new pitching. Thanks Andrew!
January 6th, 2012 at 7:39 am
Hello Mr Smith,
I have had a business before and it became a reality because I was HUNGRY. I since have sold my business and am now ready to embark upon an LLC adventure. I have looked at all you have written and now have a much better idea of what I need to arrange in the design of my LLC. Thank you for all that you have here for those who wish to learn how to design of which we desire to create. The Freedom to serve our customers and keep them happy. The website is registered but is in the process of finding its place within the design of the business, which comes first, the chicken or the egg. Plant the seed and make it grow.
sincerely,
Rick Beehler