Georgia Investment Network

Business Plan Tips

What Investors Are Looking For In A Plan

Investors, whether angels or VC's, are looking for the same things when reading a business plan. They want to know how big the opportunity is, whether this is the right team to exploit the opportunity, who the competition is, what the risks are, and why they can expect this team to implement successfully. Your job in writing the business plan is to address these questions convincingly and clearly.

Emphasize Your Real Strengths

Highlight what your team brings to the table. If your business hinges on a particular competency (for example, understanding the procurement process), your plan will be more persuasive if one of your team members knows something about it and that is brought out in your plan. Rather than including generic resumes of team members, tailor the resumes to draw out the experience each member has that will make him or her a valuable contributor.

Get To The Point And Make It Clear And Comprehensive

Investors see many business plans. A 20-page plan which clearly lays out your business is far more likely to be read than a 100 page plan. Today, some entrepreneurs are using a 15 slide Powerpoint presentation. If your text is short and punchy, you won't need to repeat yourself, because the reader won't be bogged down keeping ten chapters in their head. Reading the same thing over and over, even if it's in different words, can get really tiring. The more you use brevity and give each concept a single home in your document, the more people will want to read it.

Write In Plain English

If you can't explain your idea in English, either you don't understand what you're talking about (What is a transaction enabled atomic journaling database server, anyway?) or you haven't simplified the idea enough. Think, revise, and try again.

Get Rid Of The Hype

Yes, we know you will be the "premier insert product category here of the Internet, achieving 99% market penetration with 60% customer retention in 3 months". Your product will reach "new heights in customer experience through the use of personalization and one-to-one profiling and customization". It will be "user friendly" because you will be creating a truly "ecstatic customer experience". It is a "quantum leap forward" in the marketplace for product category here. Um, yeah. Believe me, we've read it before. About a dozen times today, in fact. (And by the way, the phrase "quantum leap" really doesn't mean anything.) Stick to a tight, simple explanation of your idea. Convince your reader you'll be the best because your idea is the best, not because you can string a dozen buzzwords together.

Use Quantifiable Information

In each section, back up your assertions with solid facts. Even if you are a new venture and cannot give specific figures on the performance of your business, quote figures for the industry or your competitors. These real figures carry more weight than your assumed projections and give more reality to your plan.

Choose A Huge Market

Especially in the internet world, investors are looking more at the market than at the detailed specifics of your financials. Choose a market that is big enough to be an obvious good opportunity. A business which targets teenage girls who listen to music and has a reasonable chance of capturing 90% of the girls that are online is a huge opportunity. A business which targets net-savvy SAAB mechanics who need prosthetic limbs is not.

Georgia Investors

United States > Georgia

No Up Front Fees! Loans Must make sense. We will Finance thru Loans, JVs, Private Placements, and other Alternative Financing. We will consider ALL loan requests but need Complete Package for FAST Pre-Approval including: Executive Summary and Passport. Client Must also submit Bank Statement to show financial responsibility (client cannot ask for a $2 Million Dollar financing but have nothing in the Bank... Loans must make sense). Fast Pre-Approvals.

$2,000,000 to $5,000,000,000

United States > Georgia

Entrepreneurial husband and wife team seeking investment opportunity that has a solid track record and management team poised for growth. We currently own several diverse businesses that are tremendously successful and have built, grown, and sold highly profitable companies in the past. We are well versed in all phases of ownership, investments, and management. We will require the requisite oversight capability based on the investment amount and risk.

$50,000 to $1,000,000

United States > Georgia

I am the president of a mortgage investment firm. We deal with private money and hard money lending. We work within a network of capitalized investors. Our network has 1.5 billion available funds. We fund deals from $50k to $100 millions.

$50,000 to $1,000,000,000

United States > Georgia

Earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA in Economics and American Studies at the University of Richmond in Virginia. brings over 10 years of experience in healthcare operations and private equity investing. Our background includes oversight of Strategic Planning, Corporate Development and Sales & Marketing as the company grew. Our principal investment experience includes more than 50 completed transactions representing over $1.3 billion of equity capital.

$10,000 to $10,000,000

United States > Georgia

I serve as Managing Partner of a private equity business catalyst focused on financing existing ventures in the High Technology, Commercial Real Estate, Manufacturing, and Consumer Goods industries. Clients include: Apple, Inc, Applied Economics, Marcus & Millichap, Dillon Read Venture Capital, Transamerica Corporation, First Ag, Accelerated Marketing Partners, New Media Magazine, United Parcel Service, AT&T, FIFA/World Cup Soccer, Panoz Auto Development Corporation, Frost Motorsports, JRG Capital, Smash Media, East West Resort Development Corporation, Opinicon, Inc., Spirit Creek Development, Alemax Corporation, Pete's Brewing Company, and New World Beverages Corporation.

$20,000,000 to $1,000,000,000

United States > Georgia

I have invested over the last 10 years in property over $200 million in value in the Southeastern United States. I am an individual investor. I have been in the real estate industry for 15 years.

$25,000 to $20,000,000

United States > Georgia

Located in Norcross GA, I am looking to become a silent partner in multiple ventures. Started a successful medical spa in Scottsdale and looking to get back into the entrepreneurial space now that we have relocated and settled in GA.

$1,000 to $25,000

United States > Georgia

I have owned and invested in several companies in the past 20 years and currently own two Georgia Corporations. Industries include marketing, environmental, sewer, construction, real estate investment, real estate developement, real estate sales, real estate management, car washes and storage facilities.

$5,000 to $500,000